The Runaway Train
by Jo. T
Summary: When the gang go on a train journey, events take an unexpected turn when they encounter a ghost from the past who leads to another murder investigation. STORY COMPLETE! All reviews gratefully received :)
1. A Sudden Standstill

DISCLAIMER: None of the characters Mark & Steve Sloan, Amanda Bentley (and family), Jesse Travis & Susan Hilliard belong to me. I just borrowed them for a whole-hearted piece of fun! The other characters, however are purely my own invention!  
  
Chapter 1 - A Sudden Standstill  
  
The train rattled along, setting a steady, relaxing, rocking provided by the motion of the traditional steam engine as it furthered it's journey across the continent, from east to west and back again. The travellers on board felt the security of familiarity. Familiarity, however, is said to breed contempt.  
  
On that note, it is now time to venture deeper into the world of our story. We zoom into a carriage compartment to focus on six of the many travellers. The names of our principle actors within this story: Mark Sloan, his son Steve, their friends Jesse Travis, Amanda Bentley and her two children (one through birth, the other through adoption) CJ and Dion.  
  
"Wow Mom, this is great!" CJ said as he fidgeted in his seat to get a better view from the train's high windows.  
  
"Yeah, this is the best trip I've ever been on." Agreed Dion. "I just don't know how Uncle Steve can sleep through it all."  
  
"And why he must snore so loudly!" chimed in Jesse with what could only be classed as a wicked grin on his face and a twinkle in his blue eyes, which shone out appealingly from underneath his mass of tousled blond hair.  
  
Amanda and Mark chuckled quietly at this, as although it happened to be the truth, no one had the urge - or the suicidal compulsion to pass said information on to the soundly sleeping detective.  
  
The train came to a sudden standstill with a jolt and a loud, piercing screech of brakes and metal on metal. The two boys let out a wounded yelp and Jesse (being so small) was sent crashing to the floor. Steve was shocked by this explosion of noise and movement and sat bolt upright, suddenly very awake.  
  
"What the.?" he said waking himself up.  
  
"I take it someone pulled the emergency stop chord." Said Mark trying to make sense of what had happened while Amanda comforted CJ and Dion and Jesse picked himself up. Steve was about to stand to leave their private compartment to find out what had happened, when the door to their compartment fell open, a body falling through from the passing corridor. The body fell at their feet and lay there.  
  
Mark flew into doctor mode and bent forward to check whether or no the latest addition to their travelling party had a pulse. To his dismay he felt nothing, no eye reaction, no signs of breathing, nothing. Whoever this person was, he was dead. Mark took the time now to examine the intruder. He was about 5 feet 10, with dark brown/black hair and ashen complexion. He looked to be in about his late twenties or very early thirties - certainly too young to simply keel over and drop down dead.  
  
"Do you boys want a drink? We could go and find the dining car." Jesse tried to coax CJ and Dion away from the scene.  
  
"No thanks, Uncle Jesse." Dion said, looking down at the corpse with a morbid fascination.  
  
"How about something to eat then, I know I'm starving!" Jesse persevered. Saying that, Jesse felt unsure as to whether he could stomach anything to eat himself and he saw such sights on a daily basis - it's all par for the course when you are a Doctor as Community General Hospital. CJ was quickest to change his mind.  
  
"I suppose I am kinda thirsty and it does feel like it's been a long time since I had something to eat." CJ stood up and started to head for the door.  
  
"Dion?" Jesse prompted.  
  
"Really Uncle Jesse, I'm not." Amanda glared at the oldest of her two children, rapidly making him change his mind, "Sure Uncle Jesse, something to eat sounds good." And he too, got up to leave.  
  
"Jesse, whilst you're gone do you think you could find someone to whom you can report this?" Mark asked.  
  
"Sure, consider it done."  
  
"Thanks, Jesse. I'll come and get you when the coast is clear in here."  
  
"Sure thing." Jesse said as he followed the two boys through the door and into the train's corridor.  
  
Amanda kicked in to her pathologist's mode and started to examine the body for any marks to see if she could find anything that might offer a hint as to the cause of death. Whilst she was carrying out a preliminary examination, Mark and Steve were searching the victim's pockets to see if there was anything in them from which they could establish an identity.  
  
In the man's pocket they found his wallet, inside was an identity card, simply bearing the name Daniel Robinson, with a contact number. Mark looked at the number thoughtfully.  
  
"I know this number from somewhere," he told his son.  
  
"Where Dad, think. It could be important."  
  
"I know son, I'll do my best."  
  
The wheels in Mark's head were turning, however hard he tried though, he could not place that number.  
  
"There are no obvious marks that I can see on the body, but a full examination might provide us with something more." Amanda interjected. "He's only just been killed though, I'd even go as far as saying that he died sometime within the last hour. The blood doesn't seem to have settled in anyone place, so it may even be safe to say that he was killed and dumped almost straight away. He was probably brought along here so that the cord could be pulled across the corridor and the force of the jolt propelled him through the door."  
  
Mark looked at the body once more and a look of realisation dawned on his face. He knew the number because it was, despite being infrequently called, in his own organiser.  
  
"I know who this is. I know who the number belongs to, and I don't think I like it!" 


	2. I Know Who You Are

Chapter 2 - I Know Who You Are  
  
"Come on Dad, there's something more to this than meets the eye, isn't there?"  
  
"Yes son, there certainly is. The number on the card is the number that Susan gave me after she left. She didn't think leaving a forwarding number with Jesse was the sensible thing, so she gave it to me, and should there ever be anything that needed to be brought to her attention, them I had the facility to contact her."  
  
"Are you thinking then, that the body falling into here was deliberate?" Steve asked, his face grim.  
  
"You know, I think I am." Amanda gasped.  
  
"The next question," Steve continued, "is that of who's going to tell Jesse."  
  
All three exchanged glances, knowing that he would not appreciate even the mention of Susan's name intruding in his life once more. When she had left him for a chiropractor (that would be Daniel), he had harboured so much hostility towards Susan, the others even doubted whether Jesse would want anything to do with the case, despite his usual enthusiasm to join in with their investigation, which would doubtless ensue.  
  
"I'll do it." Mark volunteered. "Besides, I think I have a bit of explaining to do." The others looked at him, puzzled. "He doesn't know that I have contact details for Susan, she asked me not to tell him."  
  
Again they all exchanged glances, and Mark left the carriage to try to explain and appease the frustrations of the young doctor.  
  
* * * * *  
  
On the way to the dining car Jesse caught sight of a flustered looking train guard who was evidently searching for the reason the stop cord had been pulled, a search that had been until that point, entirely fruitless - whom he approached in order to report the incident.  
  
"You two carry on to the dining car and I'll catch you up in a minute." Jesse urged CJ and Dion, then he turned to face the guard.  
  
The guard was about six foot - a good head taller than Jesse. He looked as if he was at the far end of his fifties, however, on closer inspection he was ten years and more younger than he appeared. He was dressed in the standard uniform of the train crew: bottle green trousers, vest and bow tie, which all co-ordinated beautifully with the plush upholstery of the train's seating.  
  
"Oh, excuse me Sir," the young doctor said as he approached the guard, "you wouldn't be looking for the reason the emergency cord was pulled would you?"  
  
"Why Sir? You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?" He asked accusingly, using his age to put emphasis and seniority into his query, making Jesse feel unnecessarily guilty.  
  
"Well I would." The guard glared at him - if looks could kill, thought Jesse, I think I might have found the prime suspect! "The train came to a stop and then a body fell into our compartment thing. My friends are in there with him. One's a Doctor, one's a pathologist and one's a cop - a homicide detective actually." Jesse added, trying to excerpt some force to his words, there was no way he was going to be intimidated by an over-sized green penguin, especially not one with an attitude problem!"  
  
"And where would your compartment be Sir?"  
  
"Right down there," Jesse said, pointing in the direction from which he had just come. "It's in the name of Sloan, Mark Sloan."  
  
The guard grumbled his thanks to Jesse and headed off in the direction in which he had been pointed. Jesse watched him march, march being the operative, thought Jesse, and saw him barge past someone who was coming in the opposite direction, it was Mark. Jesse waited for him.  
  
"Hey Mark, managed to find anything out?" Jesse asked eagerly.  
  
"Well there was something," Mark said as they carried on towards the dining car, "that I need to talk to you about."  
  
"That sounds ominous!" Grinned Jesse.  
  
You're not wrong Jesse, thought Mark, you are most certainly not wrong. 


	3. The Report

Just a quick thank you to everyone who has submitted a review to date. It was great to read such positive feedback. I hope you keep enjoying it as I get further into it.  
  
Jo. xx  
  
Chapter 3 - The Report  
  
Mark and Jesse sat at one table in the dining car whilst CJ and Dion, wanting to appear independent, sat at on a little way from the two doctors, slurping soda and munching on sandwiches. Mark looked as if something was nagging at him.  
  
"What is it Mark? Is it the thing you need to talk to me about?"  
  
Mark a deep breath, it's now or never, I guess.  
  
"Jess you know the dead guy?" Jesse nodded.  
  
"Not personally, but yeah, go on,"  
  
"Well, you remember Susan."  
  
"Mark, of course I remember Susan. How could I forget her after she ran off with that chiropractor. You know I'd never met him, I never even knew she knew a chiropractor." Mark out his hand up to silence Jesse.  
  
"Jess, this might be easier if you let me talk first, OK?" Jesse nodded his head, though it was obvious that there were still many things in his mind about Susan that remained unsaid. "Right. Well, the dead guy is a Daniel Robinson. He had a card with his name on it and a contact number. Jesse, Daniel was the chiropractor." A flicker of concern crossed Jesse's face.  
  
"How did she take it Mark?"  
  
"She doesn't yet know. I've not called her." Jesse looked puzzled.  
  
"In that case, how did you know it was her number?" Jesse noticed a slight twinge flicker across the older doctor's face. If he didn't know better, Jesse might have suspected it to be guilt.  
  
"Well, when she left, she gave me a number on which she could be contacted should anything arise that she may need to know about."  
  
So it was guilt. Jesse thought. Mark continued:  
  
"Anyway, I recognised the number on the card we found in the corpse's possession. I couldn't place it at first, but then it came to me." Jesse was about to speak, but Mark Pre-empted what was coming. "She asked me not to tell you Jesse. She thought you'd be mad that she gave the number to me."  
  
"What, so running off with another guy without so much as a word wouldn't make me mad?"  
  
There was a brief lapse of silence.  
  
"Are you going to ring her Mark? Because, if you do, I'd just like to have a talk with her."  
  
"Jesse, are you all right, you're not going to do anything foolish are you? Susan will already be upset when she finds out the news, she doesn't need you to provoke matters."  
  
"No Mark, I won't, I promise you!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
The guard entered the compartment Sloan, with a stewardess he had encountered on the way. She was small both in height and stature with chestnut brown hair scraped harshly back from her face in a tight bun, and hazel eyes which were disguised by a thin, pointed pair of spectacles. She was in her mid-thirties though like the guard she looked older. She seemed prim, what appeared to be an ideal match for her colleague.  
  
They'd be perfect for each other, I've never seen two people who seem more suited, Steve smiled to himself.  
  
That uniform is certainly not kind to people, thought Amanda, who was studying the new arrivals.  
  
"Oh my!" said the woman, looking shocked, and stepping aside to let her partner in to the body.  
  
"Doctor Amanda Bentley." Amanda said holding out her hand to the steward, "Pathologist."  
  
"Lieutenant Steve Sloan, LAPD." Steve said following suit.  
  
The guard spoke for both of the train's crew.  
  
"Clarke Williams and Jane Earl. Train crew. I guess you'll be able to fill me in on the details?"  
  
"Well." Amanda began.  
  
"I just passed him in the corridor a few minutes ago." Jane mumbled. Clarke just glared at her. Jane took her cue and was silenced.  
  
Steve and Amanda were unsure exactly what to disclose.  
  
Best to stick to the basics, thought Steve.  
  
"His name is Daniel Robinson. We found this card on him." Steve presented the card to Clarke, who looked down at it. "We presume that this is a contact number."  
  
Amanda was aware that Steve was trying to keep the finer details of their investigation to themselves. She continued for him:  
  
"Although I feel secure in saying he was murdered, I don't feel that I'm in any position to say how and why he was killed until an autopsy has been carried out." A look of disgust appeared on Mr. Neal's face, so in attempt to appease, Amanda added: "Don't worry Mr. Neal, I can't see that it would be anything that the train company would be liable for."  
  
"I suppose we'll be able to get the train moving again?"  
  
"Yes, but the body is not to be moved, and I think I shall stay and head up this investigation. I feel as if I now have an obligation. And I'd like for facilities to be arranged for doctor Bentley to be able to carry out an autopsy."  
  
"Fine. But you do know that there's an hour to go until we reach the first suitable stopping point." Clarke simply turned on his heel and marched off grumbling that his pay wasn't sufficient for the work he did, never mind all this additional hassle. Jane smiled meekly, and followed him.  
  
Amanda and Steve exchanged glances, knowing that their discovery was for now, for their friends' eyes only.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As Mark, Jesse and the boys were coming back to the compartment to hand the boys over to their mother, the train once again began it's steady rattle, and they were once again on their way. 


	4. A Silent Cry

Chapter 4 - A Silent Cry  
  
"Have you found anything?" Mark asked his son as Amanda took her two children off to an empty neighbouring compartment.  
  
"Well there was a couple of things." Mark raised an eye-brow quizzically. "Well, Amanda found a puncture mark entering the main vein in the left fore- arm. She says it looks like someone introduced something alien into the blood stream. There are no repeated marks to show signs of drug addiction, so it would imply that that mark was a factor in Daniel's death, though of course, she can't say what until she has done an autopsy."  
  
"So definitely foul play?"  
  
"Yes Jesse, of that there is no doubt. There is however something else that needs to be considered - why was he on board this train and how did he happen to fall into our carriage."  
  
"Did you find nothing else that may give us a clue to his purpose for being here?"  
  
"Well Dad, there was one thing." Said Steve smiling, as he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "I had to temporarily dispose of this until those awful rail staff disappeared. I found it in his shoe - don't ask."  
  
"What does it say?" Asked Jesse, curiosity overriding the animosity he had felt when first informed of the victim's identity.  
  
"Get Mark. There is danger everywhere, so much so, that I cannot go myself. Make sure that Jesse is safe. Take care and stay safe. Find me here before the curse strikes. All my love. SR" Steve read.  
  
"SR?" asked Jesse. "But Susan's second name is. oh!" he said, suddenly realising. "They got married? I can't believe she got married and didn't tell me."  
  
"She did want to make sure you were safe Jess, that's got to mean something." Steve said, trying to keep his friend's temper in check.  
  
"What's this? Where are we meant to find her?" asked Mark looking down at the scrap of paper.  
  
"Well, presumably it will be where she went to with our friend here. I mean that is her home after all."  
  
"No son, if the danger was as great as Susan was implying, which certainly seems to be the case given the evidence in front of us, I think she would have moved on, and that she's given us a clue in her note."  
  
There was a brief moment of silence.  
  
"Carmel!" said Jesse. "Susan is in Carmel."  
  
"You sound very sure of that Jesse. Do you not think you're being a little hasty?"  
  
"No Steve, I'm not. Susan is in Carmel. I think we should go there and find out what on earth she's playing at."  
  
"Jesse, how can you be so sure. There are so many places she could be?" Jesse looked at Steve incredulously, shocked that he could not see how obvious it was.  
  
"There is something in the note to tell us where she is, isn't there Jesse? It's the bit about the curse that gave it away."  
  
"Oh come on Dad, don't tell me that you actually buy that. 'The Curse' could just be another name for the people who are after her."  
  
You two were never very lucky in Carmel, were you Jess?"  
  
"That's an understatement Mark, we only had to mention the 'C' word and that was it. Anything that could go wrong went wrong, and more besides!"  
  
"All right," Steve conceded, "if she is in Carmel, how do we know where we'll be able to find her?"  
  
"I guess we'll just have to go there and see."  
  
"Yeah, I would most certainly like to know what on earth she's playing at. I mean married."  
  
"Show a little compassion Jess, her husband's just been killed."  
  
"Did she have any compassion for me when she married him? I don't think so Steve. Who did she give her contact details to? Me? No, it was to your Dad. Anyway, she must have known he'd be in danger, sending him with a note like that. She might even have known that he could get killed. All men are just things to be discarded to Susan."  
  
"Jess, she said to make sure that you were safe," Steve reiterated "Does that not mean anything to you? She didn't want to see you get hurt. She made her clue as to her whereabouts so that it would be you who was able to work out where she is. Now, does that sound like the actions of someone who has no regard for others. No. Not others, you Jess."  
  
Jess nodded his head in resignation.  
  
"Now, you two go and join Amanda and the boys, I'll stay here and make sure that no one gets to the body until we are able to get off of and start enquiries. We should be at the station in less than an hour from what the guard was saying. Now off you go and put your heads together to see if you can think of where Susan might be. Anything could help."  
  
And that they did. Still none of them could think where in Carmel Susan might be waiting for them.  
  
"Do you know if she's got any relations there, Jesse?" Amanda tried a new tack.  
  
"Look Amanda, the only thing I know about Susan as far as Carmel is concerned, is that she and I were jinxed whenever we mentioned the word. Knowing Susan though, she's probably got at least a half a dozen ex-fiances there. No Amanda, I'm sorry, I don't know why and where in Carmel."  
  
"Did you plan to do anything particular when you got there?" Mark pushed.  
  
"Mark, hey, as far as we were concerned we could have gone anywhere, I mean, hey, to us, we saw Carmel as the city of love if you know what I mean? Well, it would have been had we actually ever made it there. Did I say I think we were jinxed?"  
  
"Yes Jesse, repeatedly." Amanda rolled her eyes. "Ever since you first tried to go and something went wrong."  
  
"See, as soon as we said the 'C' word something went wrong. Jinxed!"  
  
"You were running scared. Susan wanted to go and you didn't."  
  
"You mean she got someone killed just to get me to Carmel?! Woah! That woman is crazy!"  
  
"Come on Jesse. Think." Mark interrupted the banter, they really did need to get on. Susan may be in grave danger.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Steve rested his feet along the seat. Man, guard duty is dull, thought Steve, I mean it's not even as if the guy's liable to get up and run off. Oh well, only 49 minutes and. 23 seconds left until we can make some proper headway with this. On terra firma. I swear, if I didn't know this was a train, I would feel distinctly seasick.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Do you think we should go to 'you-know-where' straight away Mark?"  
  
"Well, we're due to stop in about 45 minutes in Magerville. Steve wants to get the investigation underway from there if at all possible, and there should hopefully be somewhere for Amanda to carry out the autopsy. Then we'll be able to hire a couple of cars and go on from there and hopefully we'll know more what we're dealing with."  
  
"You thought of anything more on the cause of death yet Amanda?"  
  
"Well, I said he was injected with something, and I stand by that, bur there are no signs of a struggle so that means he either injected himself, or by someone else whom he had no reason to distrust. I spoke to the steward and she said that there was no registered passenger with the surname Robinson. Had there been, I would have gone to search his carriage."  
  
"Could he have used his Christian name as a surname?£  
  
"No, I got them to check, everyone who booked in advance was part of a party. He probably just came 'on speck' - it would be harder to trace him that way, and he'd have more freedom to move around the train, or on the other hand, more privacy, should he want it. He must have known though, that you would be on the train."  
  
"So he must have been in touch with the hospital and then found out that I was on vacation. I suppose his going to the beach house would have been to obvious if the killer knew he was coming to find me."  
  
"How will we know who did it?" Jesse asked "It's not as if there's only a couple of people on here."  
  
"I've thought of that already." Said Amanda. "When I was asking Jane whether Daniel was booked on this journey, I asked her to go round and compile a list of all the travellers on board as well as people who may have booked in advance and not shown - that's the best thing about this old fashioned train system is that if you want to book in advance you have to give a lot of details. Unfortunately the procedure's not as thorough for passengers who just turn up on the off-chance. With Jane's list though, we should be able to find the necessary information. She's also getting me a list of all the train crew. I also took the liberty to ask whether she saw anything suspicious before he died, seen as she was seemingly one of the last people to see him alive."  
  
"Anything?"  
  
"She said he seemed short of breath."  
  
"Well he could have just run from somewhere, had an asthma attack, panic attack, anaphylactic shock, it could be anything!" an exasperated Jesse said.  
  
"I did have another thought, given the injection mark, but I'll need to take x-rays in order to be sure."  
  
"Air embolism?" Mark said, catching on.  
  
"That's what I'm inclined to think." Amanda nodded. 


	5. The Back Of Beyond

Hi everyone, sorry it's taken so long to get ch 5 up. I've been very busy lately getting back into the old Uni routine of up at dawn and sleep very early. Chapter 6 is coming along now too, so it shouldn't be long before that's up.  
  
Happy reading!  
  
Chapter 5 - The Back of Beyond  
  
The train pulled into Magerville station at about quarter to one in the afternoon.  
  
"Woah, this place is really like the back of beyond." Steve said looking around him.  
  
Magerville lay near Coyote Lake, a tiny desert town with only the very base essentials: a general store, a small police headquarters, a smaller clinic, a pharmacy and of course, a bar.  
  
The train's journey was delayed for about forty-five minutes all told, as the body was unloaded and moved to the clinic and while Jane handed over all the information she had collected.  
  
"I'd call this a one horse town," said Jesse, "only a one horse town would have more horses. So much for hiring a car, Mark. You'll be lucky if you find one of them ole surreys, with or without a fringe on top!"  
  
"Never mind that; I need some equipment for an autopsy, especially as I suspect an air embolism. I'll need an x-ray machine, a tank of water, and probably a million other things this place doesn't have. And without proper refrigeration facilities, the body will soon begin to deteriorate."  
  
"I'll go and talk to the token cop, see if he can do anything to help."  
  
Steve went to the station house whilst Mark and Jesse went over to the clinic to be with the body and Amanda took the boys to the general store to get sodas and snacks for everyone.  
  
"Lieutenant Steve Sloan, LAPD homicide." Steve introduced himself.  
  
"Officer Jake Lowe, Magerville. What can I do for you Lieutenant?"  
  
"I was wondering if you could organise some transport for my friends and the victim to the nearest fully equipped hospital. We need x-ray facilities for the autopsy."  
  
"Anything else, Lieutenant?"  
  
"A couple of hire cars wouldn't go amiss. You surely have somewhere from which you can get a couple of hire cars?!"  
  
Officer Lowe scowled.  
  
"You'll be able to pick up a car in Cregtown, you'll be able to use the facilities there for the autopsy, it's a bit bigger than this place. I figured want to go elsewhere, most people do. I called the Cregtown precinct and they're sending over a couple of police vehicles and an ambulance to pick you guys up."  
  
"Thanks." Steve looked a little taken aback. Despite his seemingly bad attitude, seen by Steve at the outset, this guy obviously knew his job and was efficient. Steve put down the negative attitude to the fact that he didn't appreciate being told his job by a city cop. Steve had to admit that he felt the same protective instincts over 'his patch'.  
  
"Thanks Officer Lowe. How long?"  
  
"About twenty minutes."  
  
"Thank you. I'll go find my Dad and tell him."  
  
Steve left the officer to what he had to do in terms of official police duty, even if it was only a riveting game of solitaire - well, in a one- horse town you can't even issue traffic penalties.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Dad, Jess, you in here?" Steve called into the clinic.  
  
"In here son." A voice called out of nowhere.  
  
Steve went into a small, white room, lit only by a single fluorescent strip light. To say it was bleak is an understatement.  
  
"He's not done much since we arrived." Said Jesse, obviously bored.  
  
"That's because he's dead, Jess!"  
  
"Honestly Steve, I don't know how you do this job day in and day out. I mean, it's hardly a thrill a minute, is it? Watching a dead guy all day."  
  
"Hey. At least the dead ones don't usually fight back!" Mark nodded his agreement. He knew his son lived his job, but it was the cause of much worry to Mark. Deciding to change the subject Mark said:  
  
"What were you doing looking in his shoe, son? It's not the first place you would normally think to check. Pockets, yes. Shoes, no."  
  
"Using my powers as a detective." Jesse gave him a sideways look as Steve grinned sheepishly. "Actually, Amanda wanted me to see if there were any more marks on him before lividity set in to certain areas and distorted them."  
  
"Ah." Mark nodded knowingly. All had become clear. "Anything?"  
  
"No. there was just the mark on his arm."  
  
At that moment, there was a call towards the clinic's small treatment room.  
  
"Jesse, are you doing anything at the minute?"  
  
"No Amanda. Only watching the dead g. Daniel Robinson."  
  
"In that case, could you come and sit with Dion and CJ for me so I can come in and inspect the body."  
  
"Sorry guys, duty calls." Jesse said, relief of the reprieve evident. "Don't worry boys, Uncle Jesse's coming. Now all we need is something to make it worth my while." Jess chattered as he walked to Amanda and the boys.  
  
"Would a soda buy you off Jesse?"  
  
"Is that all I'm worth to you Amanda, a soda. You think I'm that cheap to buy off, what kind of guy do you think I am?"  
  
"One who's pushing his luck if he doesn't watch it!"  
  
"O.K. a soda will have to do I suppose. I guess there's no candy bar to go with it is there. You know I can't drink anything fizzy without food."  
  
"Jesse, you can't do anything without food. If you feel that strongly about it though, we did get a couple of bottles of water."  
  
"Soda's fine. I'll just go and starve somewhere."  
  
Amanda rolled her eyes and left Jesse and his minders to it.  
  
"O.K. boys. What do you want to do? How about a nice game of i-spy?"  
  
"Uncle Jesse, what could we possibly spy? There's nothing here." Said Dion.  
  
"Look, I'll go first." Said Jesse, adamant they were going to play the game and twice as adamant that they were going to enjoy it! "i-spy with my little eye something beginning with 'D'"  
  
"Dirt."  
  
"Right CJ. Your turn."  
  
"You take my turn Uncle Jesse. Please."  
  
"O.K. if you're going to be like that, "i-spy with my little eye something beginning with 'D'"  
  
"Dust."  
  
"Right Dion, you got it."  
  
"Of course I got it Uncle Jesse. There is nothing else here."  
  
"Fine. We'll just sit here and wait then!" Jesse gave up and sat on the dusty ground resting his chin on his hand, his elbow in turn was resting on his knee. Looking at the dead guy was more exciting. He thought to himself. As he sat there, CJ and Dion shot each other guilty looks, but made the most of Jesse's despondence and sat in silence, one either side of him.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Why do you think someone would do this Mark?"  
  
"You know Amanda, I don't think we could even get close to guessing until we have spoken to Susan."  
  
"Do you think the whole key to this case lies with Susan in Carmel?"  
  
"No son. I think Susan being in Carmel has no relevance beyond the fact that she knows we'll find her there and it's far away from anything that's normal to try to alleviate some of the threat."  
  
"Do you mean physical threat Dad."  
  
"I don't know. Nor do I know if Jesse has accepted how much danger she could be in. I just hope nothing comes back and bites him."  
  
"You think there's every risk of that, don't you Mark, given he and Susan's past."  
  
"I'm afraid I do Amanda. Especially as in her note Susan wanted us to make sure that Jesse's safe. I'm very worried things might turn nasty somewhere along the line and if whoever is after Susan find out that she and Jesse were once a couple, it may provoke them to come after him too."  
  
BANG! 


	6. Concealed Weapon

Chapter 6 - Concealed Weapon  
  
The loud noise came from outside.  
  
"Oh my," said Amanda, jumping to her feet and going straight outside. "CJ? Dion? Jesse? Are you all right?"  
  
Amanda ran out with such haste that she practically fell over the three bored reprobates who were seated just outside the door.  
  
"You're all alright, thank goodness. I thought something terrible had happened!"  
  
"Amanda? It was just the lead patrol car back firing. I was about to come in and tell you that the transport has arrived, guess I don't need to now. Anyway, what sort of terrible thing could happen in this tiny joint?"  
  
Mark and Steve got to the door, expecting to see the worst. In fact the scene that met their eyes was free of the carnage they had anticipated, instead they saw Amanda looking simultaneously irate and relieved and Jesse looking very perplexed.  
  
The patrol cars were just pulling into the clinic as the farther and son emerged and the workers from within clambered out to collect the corpse and sort out the passenger distribution.  
  
It was decided that Steve would travel in the ambulance with Daniel, whilst Mark would travel with Jesse in the first car and Amanda and the boys would take the second car. So the journey to Cregtown or 'contemporary civilisation' as it perhaps was in contrast, began.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The journey took about forty minutes driving at a steady speed, but they couldn't get there quick enough as far as our friends were concerned. CJ and Dion were understandably growing very restless and Jesse's game of i- spy in Magerville had hardly helped matters as it drew the attention of the boys to how little there really was in the place.  
  
The cars and ambulance dropped them off at the town hospital in order for the investigation to continue as quickly as possible.  
  
The hospital was only small in comparison with Community General, but was well equipped, with full x-ray and scanning facilities and tank of water, ready for Amanda's autopsy. Room had even been provided for this to occur and the local pathologist - Phil Martinez was on hand and only too glad to offer any assistance that he was able.  
  
Dr. Martinez was young, about the same age as Jesse, the others concluded. With his short dark curly hair and loveable grin, he was a picture to behold. He was about average height, not as tall as Steve but most certainly taller than the small doctor Travis.  
  
There was also a treatment room for the friends to call base temporarily - namely where the boys could be looked after and amused, this job fell of course, to Uncle Jesse. This was mainly through delegation - Amanda figured if his charges were keeping him amused, then he would be unable to get in her way during the autopsy.  
  
Usually Amanda tolerated Jesse's energy and enthusiasm, but on an autopsy such as this absolutely nothing could go wrong and cause her distraction, otherwise the cause of death may slip away, unnoticed and untraceable. Steve felt obliged to be present for the autopsy from the detective's point of view, and Mark's perceptive mind was always welcome.  
  
So with the liability taken care of and housed with some food, even if it was only "that hospital junk", Jesse and the boys were left to amuse themselves whilst the autopsy began.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Amanda began the procedure by sending the body to x-ray, in order to see if there was any evidence of air embolism, one of the only ways to detect them.  
  
When the films came back from radiography Amanda, Mark and Phil Martinez examined them intently, much to the confusion of Steve.  
  
"The guy had something injected into his system, why on earth are you paying such close attention to the x-ray. I know you said you needed 'em, but really, I don't see what they'll show you. You ought to be looking at tox. screens and chem. panels."  
  
Amanda raised her eyebrow at Steve.  
  
"Oh yes, Lieutenant Sloan? Since when did you become a M.E.S.S.I. winning pathologist?" Steve looked a little abashed at this comment. "Actually, because we suspect air embolism we have to look at the x-ray to see if there's any sign on one. If I don't check and just go straight ahead and open up the body then the bubble would simply vanish into the air."  
  
"I don't wanna sound stupid or anything, but how can air kill ya? You breathe it in all the time and it doesn't do serious damage. Well," he conceded, "With perhaps the one exception of LA smog!"  
  
Phil Martinez took over, growing very excited.  
  
"It's quite a brilliant idea really. So hard to trace and yet incredibly effective, I've never actually worked on one before."  
  
"That's great for you, but how could it kill someone?" Steve persisted.  
  
"Well," Phil continued. "The air bubble or bubbles, will start travelling around the body within the blood stream. They will travel to the right atrium - a small chamber of the heart, and round into the lung. When they enter the lung the capillaries - tiny blood vessels, are too thin to enable them to pass by, and so the bubbles become entangled with the blood vessels in the lung, which causes the flow of blood around the whole body to come to a stop. This happens because the body believes that the blood is not circulating because of a lack of pure air within the system, so the rate of respiration increases and the person will start gasping. Because this is not the problem because the body cannot conceive that it could turn against itself, the real danger area lies elsewhere, undetected by the system and leads to the death of the victim. It really is ingenious."  
  
"Look there," said Mark "There's a possible site in the pulmonary artery."  
  
"I think you might be right Mark. You've found it. Now all we need, now our suspicions have been confirmed, is the water tank. Where will be able to find this Doctor Martinez?"  
  
"Phil, please. And I'm having a tank brought up here, so you don't have to traipse around all over the place with the body. I've sorted all this out for you, however there is one condition." A look of worry flitted across Amanda's face.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I'd be really grateful if you would let me stay and watch, perhaps assist."  
  
"Well if that's all, I'm sure something can be arranged."  
  
"If you know it's an air embolism from the x-ray why on earth do you need the water. What more will that tell you."  
  
"It won't tell us anything. It will confirm what we believe. There is always a chance, you know, that the shadow around the lung could be something else. I'm just not missing my confirmation that I'm right. Better to assume the x-ray as inconclusive while you can still do something to test whether you are right or wrong before you just go in and cut him up all haphazard and find that the shadow on the x-ray had absolutely nothing to do with an air embolism whatsoever." Amanda finished, meticulous to the last detail.  
  
Oh. Steve nodded. Why didn't you just tell me all that in the first place."  
  
* * * * *  
  
While all the work towards the autopsy was being done, Jesse and the boys remained in their little refuge.  
  
Jesse had armed himself, on his arrival with a telephone directory, on a mission to search for a place from which they could hire a couple of cars. After his third phone call he finally found a place that would let him hire a couple of vehicles - 'Express Cars'. All they had to do was collect them when they were ready to leave.  
  
After completing his mission with the pride of success he ate his meal, disgusting though it was - but what more could expect from Cuisine a la hospital! Then with the comfort of feeling well fed and watered, he and the boys began a game of charades at Jesse's instigation.  
  
Jesse tried his best much to the amusement of C.J, and Dion, but how on earth were they expected to guess 'The Avengers', 'Mission Impossible,' or 'The Man From UNCLE' and 'M*A*S*H' was taking things to the extreme! Mind you, the boys returned the favour, deciding that it was far more fair that playing singly. Jesse though had to admit defeat on many of their charades, too. How on earth was he supposed to know that the boys pointing at him and playing crazy was supposed to mean the 'X-Files' and the seemingly rude gestures were in order for him to guess 'The Butt Ugly Martians'. The things children watch on tv these days, Jesse thought to himself rolling his eyes. Man, why aren't I a kid anymore?  
  
* * * * *  
  
The tank of water was now prepared and Daniel was ready to be immersed.  
  
He was plunged into the tank of water as Amanda carefully cut into the exposed skin on his chest. All eyes watched the water in angst. As the watchers waited with bated breath, the anticipated air bubbles arose in the water.  
  
"Wow, personalised Jacuzzi!" said Phil, "I didn't realize that the bubbling would be quite that evident."  
  
"Bingo!" said Mark.  
  
"Now there's just one thing that we need to think about that may cause a few problems."  
  
"What's that?" Steve asked Amanda, his eyebrows raised.  
  
"The quantity of air with which he must have been injected. In order to kill a person, you would need to inject them with approximately 200 c.c. of air, and the most commonly used large syringe only holds 20 c.c."  
  
"So either someone used a very large syringe, someone Daniel trusted, or someone managed to subdue him first."  
  
"There is some good news though. It narrows down the number of people that could possibly have done it. It was obviously someone who can handle a syringe and knows there way, a little at least, around human anatomy. So possibly someone with some form of medical training, be it nursing, as a carer or aide, or even a doctor. We must bear in mind though, that Daniel had no reason to distrust the person that did it, as there were no signs of a scuffle. Now all we can do is hope that the team on the train running the crime scene are able to find something that will point us in the right direction."  
  
"How can we do that and get to Carmel at the same time?" Steve asked.  
  
"Well," Amanda said, flashing a charming smile at Dr. Martinez, "I was hoping Phil here might be our liaison point. If we find any information that may be pertinent to some of the autopsy findings, then I'm hoping he will be able to clarify."  
  
"Me? You really want my help?" Phil was overwhelmed. "Oh, of course, it would be an honour, working with someone as renowned in the profession as you. Do you really think I'm up to it."  
  
"You've done an autopsy before, haven't you."  
  
"Well, yes."  
  
"In that case, there is absolutely no reason on earth why you should not be able to handle this. I doubt you'll find anything beyond the air embolism, but I want you treat it as a virgin corpse never the less, full panels, screens and routine procedures please."  
  
"What? You're actually letting me do the autopsy - all by myself?"  
  
"Well, we have to get moving, we need to get to Carmel as soon as possible. A friend of ours could be in a lot of danger. Plus as I say, I can feed you back information and vice versa. Here's my cell phone number, now should you find ANYTHING, then please, call me." Amanda said, taking a pen and scribbling down her number, then leaving it next to the telephone in the pathology lab.  
  
"Perhaps we should go and see if Jesse has managed to get us any transport." Mark said. "Then we can get moving straight away."  
  
"Is it all right if I ask you to do this for me Phil, relay information and the like?"  
  
"Well, sure. It's an honour that you think I'm up to it."  
  
"You have to be. We don't have the time to waste for me to do it myself or find someone I know who can do it and get them over here." Phil looked a little despondent at this. Amanda realised how derogatory that had sounded. "Sorry, that came out wrong. I know you can do it, and I trust you. You just have to believe you can do it as well as any other pathologist in the state. Just don't get too cocky - when you get cocky you miss things. OK? Now, keep me informed of anything and everything you find."  
  
"Right," Phil said, his enthusiasm restored. "I'll do that Dr. Bentley."  
  
"Amanda."  
  
".Amanda, I'll do you proud."  
  
The three friends smiled at one another as they left Phil in his kingdom - his path lab.  
  
"Does he kinda remind you of anyone? With his explanations, enthusiasm, ya know?"  
  
"Well, he's taller for a start." Said Mark.  
  
"And not quite as excitable," added Amanda.  
  
They arrived at the door to the room in which Jesse and the two boys had been keeping themselves amused and just as they were about to enter, the swing door opened and a red-faced Jesse stuck his head out.  
  
"Just the people I've been looking for, I could use some help in here."  
  
"Jesse, what's wrong?"  
  
"Never mind that, Mark. Jesse, what have you done with my children?"  
  
"Amanda, would I do anything to the boys?" Amanda raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, it's more what the boys have done to me. As if charades wasn't enough and the words X-files and Butt Ugly Martians aren't enough, the two wonderful boys in there, decided they wanted to indulge in a little role play with one another."  
  
"What's wrong with that Jesse? It encourages than to use their imagination."  
  
"They don't need any encouragement, Amanda. They were space men on board an alien mothership rescuing the aliens captive. And they did this."  
  
Jesse pushed the door open further and they could see that the poor doctor had been securely tied to the chair that protruded from the back of him using some old bandages that were donated for such a cause.  
  
"Then they left me whilst they went to the bathroom."  
  
"Hi Mom," CJ said, as the friends turned round to look at the grinning boys, only to turn and look back and Jesse, which sent them all into rapturous fits of laughter.  
  
"Hey, this is not funny. Don't you laugh. hey, not funny. Not funny at all. Does someone want to untie me now? It would be greatly appreciated."  
  
However much people tried to stop laughing, they just couldn't control themselves, the sight of the helpless Jesse was too much for them.  
  
"Did I ever tell you what a good job you did in bringing up your children, Amanda?" Steve said smiling at the two as he ruffled Dion's hair. "They're very discerning."  
  
"I don't think I could have asked for them to turn out any better!"  
  
"No? Well I could. Now could somebody please untie me. Mark please." Jesse implored.  
  
"All right Jess." Mark conceded, still highly amused by the whole scenario. As Mark proceeded to untie the stranded doctor, he asked: "Did you have any luck in finding a couple of hire cars, Jesse?"  
  
"Well, you can all call me Dr. Brilliant. I managed to get us a couple of cars from a company called 'Express Cars'. They're an interstate company with branches in both LA and Carmel, so we can have them indefinitely and return them to one of those branches. We just have to go and pick them up and pay a down payment and someone's name must be put down as guarantor. We then have to pay for the cars weekly, paying in advance each week, and should we return them before the week is over, then the outstanding balance will be paid back to us. They were very understanding once I explained the situation."  
  
"Wow, Jesse, good work!" Steve said, impressed. "I'm glad you think so Steve, because I told the company that you and your dad would be the guarantors."  
  
"What?"  
  
All Jesse did in response was smirk as Mark finished releasing the young doctor from his makeshift prison.  
  
"Shall we go and collect these cars then, Mr. Guarantor. I mean, they were so impressed - it made such a difference when I told them one of you guys was a cop and the other was the Head of Internal medicine at CGH. That makes us sound so reliable."  
  
"Us sound reliable? Me and my dad sound reliable, you mean Jess. And by the way, it's not too late to tie you to the chair again and for us to leave you hear, you know!"  
  
Jesse scowled as they all set off to go to 'Express motors' to pick up the cars. They decided they would all walk there so they could get some exercise before the long drive ahead. 


	7. Making Tracks

Chapter 7 - Making Tracks  
  
"Hi. Jesse Travis. I rang a while ago about the possibility of hiring a couple of cars." Jesse introduced himself to the representative to whom he spoke as Express Motors. A man in his late 30's, becoming what can only be described as a little bit thin on top, his remaining hair moulded into a high mound in an ineffectual attempt to disguise the balding process. He wore an old brown suit, on which there was a name badge indicating him to be one Ian Horn.  
  
"Ah yes." The man replied nodding emphatically, not looking dissimilar to one of the infamous nodding dogs far to frequently found in cars and which are internationally renowned as the English equivalent to the almost as infamous pink, fluffy dice! "You wanted two vehicles, didn't you? Unfortunately, we've only been able to spare one larger family car, the other, I'm afraid, is just a small two-door number. The family car, for your information, has been signed out with Lieutenant Sloan as the guarantor and the small car with Doctor Sloan. Please ensure that the guarantor travels in the appropriate vehicle at all times, otherwise the insurance is invalid. If you'd like to follow me then I can show you the cars and we can get the paperwork sorted."  
  
Horn led Jesse to the back of the lot where there were two cars waiting. Jesse couldn't believe what he saw an old Ford Granada from 1985, an acid yellow in colour, so acidic was it that it would be no surprise if it induced feelings of nausea. The other car was an elegant blue Ford Escort, less dated and rickety looking, though it still appeared to have been in a number of bumps, as the door on the front passenger side showed traces of having to be re-shaped. Jesse wondered if all of Express cars resembled this, how on earth could they be an interstate company. It does explain one thing though, thought the young doctor, it does explain why they're not a country-wide company!  
  
Horn saw the look on Jesse's face.  
  
"It's all right sir, they're perfectly road worthy. Our outstanding reputation wouldn't allow us to hire out anything that wasn't."  
  
Jesse thought that it was odd that he had never once before heard of the company, but he let the thought pass and figured that may be a good thing. After all, bad news does tend to spread better than good.  
  
After showing him the cars, Ian Horn led Jesse into the office where they signed the papers. Mark and Steve joined them too, to put their signatures on the form as guarantor.  
  
While they finished up their business inside, Mark looked at the office around him. It stood as a temporary building, nothing more than a make- shift caravan really. The dirty paint was falling off the walls and big patches of damp were in evidence. At the end of the room against the back wall stood Horn's desk, littered with paper, odds and ends and all those loose pieces of stationary that tend to vanish into the great wide nowhere. There were a couple of dirty brown chairs, co-ordinating beautifully with Horn's suit, Mark observed with a wry smile. Around the walls of the office stood metal shelving units, filing cabinets and cupboards, most of which were adorned with gratuitous pictures of scantily clad females. Finally, there were a few posters on the wall of old cars, Mark had to force himself to make some sort of remark about the contrast between the body work of the two sets of posters. This place was not like an office at all, more like a shrine to all the fads and fancies of schoolboy whims.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The cars all signed for, the three men went to rejoin Amanda and the boys who were patiently waiting out front.  
  
"We're just going to the back of the lot to get the, erm, cars." everyone shot a look at Jesse.  
  
"Something you're not telling us Jess?" Steve began.  
  
"Er, you'll see for yourself in a minute. I'm sure they'll be absolutely fine though. I mean we are hiring them somewhat last minute, we had to have what they had available and they wouldn't be able to hire out anything dangerous and."  
  
"Jesse!" Steve warned.  
  
"Anyway, shall we go fetch them?"  
  
Jesse led Mark and Steve to the back of the lot where the cars were waiting for them. Jesse had hoped that time would improve the way they looked and it was merely his memory exaggerating, no such look though. They were there and they were in a worse state than Jesse remembered. Steve glared at his small friend.  
  
"Jesse, what were you thinking of?" he snapped.  
  
"Hey son, calm down." Mark said placing a calming hand on his son's shoulder. "Jesse did his best, you know how hard it is to find things so last minute, especially as this place is still relatively small." Mark's tone of voice though, could not hide his disappointment at the proposed means of transport, but shook off the feeling never the less and climbed into the drivers seat of the smaller of the two cars. "I'll take this car with Jesse, and you, Amanda and they boys will all be quite comfortable in that car."  
  
Steve conceded and clambered in, still muttering his dissent.  
  
* * * * *  
  
An hour later, there was a miniature convoy as the gang were on the open road and well on their way to Carmel. It was thought that, if the roads were in a reasonable condition and lightly populated, then they should be there in 7 or 8 hours.  
  
Steve, Amanda and the boys headed the convoy, with Mark and Jesse valiantly trying to keep up in their psychedelic set of wheels.  
  
"Do you think we'll be able to find Susan?" Jesse asked Mark quietly. "I mean, I wouldn't like to see anything happen to her, even if I am mad at her for the way she left me."  
  
"I certainly hope so Jesse." Mark paused for a brief moment. "Jesse, I really need you to try and think where Susan might be, it could make all the difference."  
  
"If I'm honest, Mark, I've not thought of anything else since this whole mess began, and I still can't think where she might be."  
  
"Well, you keep trying, you never know, something may come to you in a flash of inspiration."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Steve, what do you think could happen to Jesse?"  
  
"Amanda, I don't know."  
  
"This whole trip has turned into a real mystery, hasn't it?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
"This whole trip has turned into a real mystery, hasn't it?"  
  
"I only wish I knew what was round the corner, Mark. I just wish I knew."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Mom, I'm hungry!"  
  
"How can you be hungry Dion, when Uncle Jesse has been supplying you with junk food all day. I mean, it seems as if every time I turned round he was feeding you two more junk food."  
  
"Please Mom. Besides, Uncle Jesse didn't let us have that much." C.J. joined in "He ate most of it himself!" the boy added resentfully.  
  
"Ah, that's your Uncle Jesse for you." Steve said with a wry smile. "I have to say though, Amanda. I think I agree with those two in there; it's most definitely time for something to eat, I'm famished. If we carry on to the turn off for the next town or services, whichever comes first, I'll signal Dad and Jesse in."  
  
"Thanks Uncle Steve." The boys cheered.  
  
* * * * *  
  
And so they drove until they came to a sign pointing them towards a nearby town, two minutes further down the road.  
  
Steve slowed down as they approached the turn off in the road and pulled over to the side, waiting for his dad and Jesse to catch up as he did not want them to sail on past.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Mark saw that Steve had pulled into side of the road, and seeing the sign just to the side of him, gathered that they were going to head into town, flashed his hazard lights in acknowledgement. Mark decided it would be the most sensible thing if he stopped to tell Steve that he should keep on going whilst he and Jesse made their way at their own very slow place, so he put his foot down onto the brake pedal.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Mark could feel that no connection had been made and the car carried on forward, no regard whatsoever to the frantic stabbing of Mark's foot on the brake pedal. Realising something was wrong with the braking mechanism Mark stayed on the road, on the straightest path he could possibly muster- towards the town.  
  
"Jesse, I think that we may have a small problem here. The brake does not seem to want to work."  
  
"What? No brakes? Mark, this is bad, this is very, very bad, this is so bad that."  
  
"Jesse, calm down. From what I can see we have to clear choices. Number one is that we let the car keep going straight until it runs out of gas, or number two, we find something soft into which we can crash this baby."  
  
"That doesn't sound that good to me Mark."  
  
Mark simply kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, not wanting to miss a turn and send the car careening into a big brick wall.  
  
"Mark, is it me, or are we getting faster?" Jesse asked nervously glancing at the speed clock. Mark did the same, and a look of worry crossed his face."  
  
"If we're going to crash we need to do it soon. At least we're near a town so help should be at hand, if we keep going until the gas runs out, then we could end up in the middle of nowhere."  
  
Jesse gulped.  
  
"I guess we'd better brace ourselves for impact." Mark nodded his agreement.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Steve and Amanda and the boys saw the garishly coloured car streak past, mouths agape with shock.  
  
"Something must be wrong. My dad never normally drives like that, even after he's done goodness knows how many consecutive shifts at the hospital."  
  
Amanda and the boys couldn't bare to watch the speeding car whilst Steve looked on with grim fascination as the car that carried both his father and best friend careened into a ditch where it became an integral part of the landscape and hedgerow.  
  
All that could be heard was the loud hooting of a horn and all that could be seen were large plumes of grey smoke. This did not look good. 


	8. Off The Rails

Chapter 8 - Off The Rails  
  
Steve stood stock still for a moment, how long he couldn't have said, at that point in time, a minute felt like a lifetime. The number of things like this I've seen but nothing ever prepares you for the possibility of something like this happening to someone you know right before your very eyes. Steve felt temporarily displaced from his body, his senses numb.  
  
All of a sudden adrenaline kicked in and Steve burst into a headlong charge towards the ever-increasing plumes of smoke, each one becoming a stronger, darker, more vehement color than the last one.  
  
"Dad, dad? Can you hear me?" Steve shouted. Please be OK Dad. Please.  
  
Steve was unable to see anything through the thick smoke, from which he was now approximately fifty meters. As frustration rose in him his fast stride became more aggressive, allowing him to cover ground more effectively.  
  
"Jesse, are you all right?"  
  
As Steve got within about twenty meters he recognised a figure who clambered out of the left hand side of the car, doubled over as his body shook with violent wracking coughs.  
  
"Dad, thank goodness you're alive. Are you OK? You should go over to Amanda, let your lungs clear, let her check you over and call you an ambulance."  
  
"Steve, you have to help me with Jesse, I think he hit his head." Steve had been so relieved to see that his father was OK that he had completely forgotten about Jesse being in the car too. A look of sheer panic adorned his face, partly from the realisation that Jesse was still in trouble and partly from the guilt of completely forgetting about his best friend.  
  
"We have to get him out of there Dad, the car looks as if it will blow any minute." Steve's instincts as a cop took over. "Was he conscious? Is the door jammed? Does he have any injuries that could cause a problem in his removal?"  
  
Mark looked on in dazed confusion, and was only able to stammer out:  
  
"I think so, I don't know, I."  
  
Steve's attention immediately switched back to his father.  
  
"Dad, dad, are you OK. Dad, what's wrong?" but Mark just stared ahead. Whether he didn't here his son or whether he was too fazed to answer Steve was unsure. He knelt down at his father's side and looked up with desperation. He spotted three figures a way off who he recognised as Amanda and the boys. With them was the beginnings of a crowd. Steve observed the audience and although disgusted with their gratuitous morbidity, only there watching, not to help but to simply be able to say "I was there."  
  
Steve did see one good side, he felt confident enough to summon Amanda over, confident in the knowledge that there would be countless observers to look after the boys. He waved for Amanda to come over. She turned to someone at her side and indicated to the two children, then started off at a full pace toward Steve over the ground that he had traversed not five minutes previous.  
  
When Amanda arrived, Steve was still by his father's side, talking to him all the time, his deep concern evident in the very tone of his voice.  
  
"Amanda, will you help me get my Dad back to our car please, I think he may be going into shock. You need to look at him."  
  
"Steve, where's Jesse?" Amanda ventured.  
  
"Oh, he's still in the car." Steve said without thinking, waving his hand dismissively.  
  
"Steve, can you smell gas?"  
  
"Huh. Yeah, I guess." Steve responded, still not realising the implications of what he had just said.  
  
"Steve, Steve!" Amanda snapped.  
  
"What is it Amanda? Shouldn't you be helping my Dad?"  
  
"Steve, we both smell gasoline, Jesse is in the car, the engine is still running, the car's gonna blow. Steve, Jesse could die if we don't do anything."  
  
Steve shrugged his shoulders and remained near to his father. Nothing that Amanda was saying penetrated Steve's subconscious, the only person he saw was his father, the only thing to do, get his father out of there and to somewhere safe where he could be treated.  
  
"I said Steve, that Jesse could die!" Amanda said as she approached the emphatically fuming car. All of a sudden Steve snapped and raised his voice, loud and long and clear.  
  
"And so could my father if we've not got him out of here when that thing blows."  
  
"Steve Sloan, you can be so stubborn sometimes."  
  
"No Amanda, it's just."  
  
"Save it. We've not got the time to waste if I'm going to get Jesse out of here alive."  
  
Steve turned indignantly and began to move his father, who was beginning to come out of the extreme state of shock in which he had been, toward the Escort and the by now large crowd of people who waited a way away.  
  
As Steve neared the large group with his father a couple of souls stepped forward to help get Mark to safety while another got out there cell phone and called 911.  
  
Steve stood with his back to the wreckage of the Granada, his father being his primary concern. Whilst lost in this state; conscious disconnected from subconscious, the eyes of the crowd stared into the background. Steve could only wonder at what it was they were looking.  
  
He was to find out shortly, far more shortly than anyone could have anticipated.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Hot orange and yellow streaks licked the sky as hot, high flames leapt into the air. A split second later the atmosphere was ripped into two as a resounding boom reverberated around the countryside.  
  
The bright glow and the ferocious noise was all it required to bring Steve out of his trancelike state. The situation suddenly hit him with astounding severity as reality penetrated.  
  
Steve slowly turned as he realised that he had not only left his best friend to die in the impending inferno, but he had also allowed Amanda to stay and open herself to such risk.  
  
Great. Thought Steve. I've not only gone and killed two of my best friends, but I've made two poor kids orphaned.  
  
Although now facing the carnage, nothing in front of him could penetrate his deep thoughts and the bitterness within him prevailed. He saw everything, yet took in nothing.  
  
Around him were lights, noise, people talking. People talking to me? He wondered. What are they saying? Steve tried to make out what he heard.  
  
The background noise was all a blur to him, yet over it all he thought he could make out two voices saying:  
  
"Uncle Steve, did you see what mom just did?"  
  
"Isn't our mom great Uncle Steve? No one in my class at school could say that their Mom did anything like that, well except maybe Hal Campbell and he doesn't count cos his mom's a fire-fighter."  
  
C.J. and Dion. He thought. What have I done? I've ruined their lives without trying.  
  
"Son, son?" Mark spoke gently from his position, sitting in the Escort looking towards that fateful spot.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Two dark figures appeared in silhouette form against the flaming wall backdrop.  
  
The taller figure was seen half dragging the smaller one towards the crowd who were oooh-ing and ah-ing expectantly.  
  
Both figures were choking and progress was slow.  
  
When they got clear of the car there was a secondary explosion, not as powerful as the first, though it's surprise impact exacerbated the effect. Both people were thrown to the floor.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Sirens whirred in the background, getting nearer and nearer.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As the raging flames behind them began to subside once more, a trace of movement could be seen.  
  
The smaller form seemed to now be entirely dependant on the other to get them to safety, although if one observed closely a very valiant attempt was being made through an apparently unconscious stupor.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Two ambulances arrived with three fire trucks in tow. Help could not have come too soon.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Steve Sloan stood and watched the scene in front of him in a disbelieving stupor - it couldn't be true.  
  
It's the ghosts of my friends coming back to haunt me. He thought.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The taller figure was now tiring. Bent over at the effort of supporting the partner, coughing spasms endured by both of them made the going even tougher.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The crews jumped out of the lead fire truck and raced towards the burning car, hoses at the ready, closely followed by members of the second truck, whilst the third one was driven to where the two ambulances had pulled up.  
  
There seemed to be a sudden rush to the two haggard approaching figures as everyone who had been watching headed out to greet the returning heroes.  
  
* * * * *  
  
All Steve Sloan could do was turn away. 


	9. One Old Friend

Chapter 9 - One Old Friend  
  
Jesse sat slumped against the side of the ambulance enshrouded in a blanket.  
  
He was bruise and bloodied. He had a cut on the right hand side of his forehead from where his head had violently struck the dashboard. The seatbelt he was wearing may have stopped him from going head first through the windshield, but it still was not as secure as it should have been. Mark had faired better as an air bag had been fitted in the driver's side of the car. He had also managed to take a tremendous bump to the back of the head, too, from being thrown about as the car crashed into the ditch. The majority of damage had been done by the smoke inhalation, and obviously Jesse's condition was worsened by the fact that he had been exposed to it for longer. This was the principle reason he had not yet been taken to hospital. The effort from the coughing induced by the fumes had exhausted him and he needed some time to have a break and get some good old-fashioned fresh air.  
  
The gash on his forehead now had a pad taped to it to absorb the blood and that cut, combined with the blow that he received to the back of the head, was making his head throb vehemently.  
  
The EMT with him was hardly maintaining professional standards. Despite being there squatting down next to Jesse, her mind was evidently with her gaze, which was looking longingly over her left shoulder where everyone had congregated in a small cluster. Her partner was asleep in the ambulance after pulling a double shift.  
  
Mark had already been taken to the local hospital and Steve had followed on in the Escort with CJ and Dion, Jesse knew that. Suddenly something occurred to him.  
  
"Can you, can you." Jesse was thrown into a violent choking fit.  
  
"There, there. I don't think that it's a good idea for you to say anything." Though it was obvious that her mind was on all the hubbub behind her.  
  
"Can you tell me where Amanda is?" Jess managed "Is she OK?" His throat now felt like it was burning and his chest felt taut and painful as another coughing spasm overwhelmed him, though the EMT seemed oblivious  
  
* * * * *  
  
Amanda had stayed behind to allow Steve to be with his father and so that she could make sure that someone was with Jesse, should he need them.  
  
"I have nothing to say to you!" Amanda snapped as someone thrust a camera in her face. "Do you mind!" she said to the same camera operator who has failed to withdraw. A female newscaster stepped up to her with a microphone and proceeded with attempts to try and get the equipment in Amanda's face.  
  
Amanda marched through the crowd towards the ambulance looking for Jesse. All she didn't have to look too hard, all she had to do was follow the explosion of coughs.  
  
As Amanda approached, she saw the small figure of Jesse sitting there bent double, his small frame looking even smaller as he shook in an effort to control the coughing.  
  
"My goodness Jesse. You look awful." She knelt down at his right hand side and rubbed his back gently and firmly to try and dispel the coughing. Gradually, the coughing began to subside.  
  
"Amanda," he rasped, "are you OK?"  
  
"I'm fine Jesse. Just a little bit singed at the edges."  
  
By this time the news crew had grown bored of filming the dying smoke plumes that were coming from the car an switched their attention to the side of the ambulance.  
  
"Amanda," Jesse started. "I think I have a concussion, a mild concussion."  
  
"Oh Jesse, you're priceless!" Amanda laughed.  
  
Amanda happened to glance behind her and saw the news crew once more.  
  
"I thought I already told you, no one has any comment."  
  
The woman with the microphone whom Amanda had encountered earlier, threw herself in front of the camera.  
  
It may now be a good time for the reader to learn who this newscaster is. You may recognise her as Rebecca Lockwood, the intrepid caster who managed to get herself some exclusive coverage of the Malibu Fire.  
  
"Make sure you get them in the background." She said indicating Amanda, Jesse and the EMT. "Hello, and here I am at the scene of an horrific car accident. You the viewer may be wondering what makes this smash such a special one, well you're favourite newscaster was able to find out that the victim, seen behind me, is none other than Michael J. Fox, and assistance is being proffered by the great Whitney Houston. They will be taken to nearby Renihan-Pierce hospital for treatment."  
  
"What? Oh! It's you." Amanda said accusingly as she recognised Rebecca. "When will you learn that I am not Whitney Houston and no matter how much you flatter his ego in saying so, he is not, never has been and never will be Michael J. Fox."  
  
Unusually for Jesse he just looked on in silence. No smart comments, witty one-liners, just a vacant expression. Amanda noticed this and returned her whole attention to her friend.  
  
"Jesse you look so pail. Are you all right?" she now turned to the EMT, "Have you been monitoring him?"  
  
The news crew perversely continued filming.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you been monitoring him? Why has he not been given oxygen for goodness sake?"  
  
The EMT could only stammer something about fresh air being sufficient.  
  
"Jesse, Jess, how are you feeling, honey?"  
  
"Bad."  
  
"Do you have a headache? Feel any nausea?" Jesse half-shrugged. "Jesse." Amanda called to get his attention. She placed her hand beneath his chin in attempt to hold his now swaying head, stationary. Amanda made him follow her finger from side to side to evaluate the function of the cranial nerves. Jesse's eyes followed, but his giddiness was apparent. "Jesse honey, you have to help me here. Your symptoms could be a result of any singular or combination of three conditions: concussion, shock or the inhalation of gasoline fumes."  
  
"Amanda, would you mind if I just.?" Jesse simply grew limp and flopped towards his right hand side, where he was deftly caught be Amanda.  
  
"You," Amanda said, pinpointing the EMT, "help me lay him down, then bring some more blankets and some oxygen out."  
  
"And who do you think you are telling me what to do like that?"  
  
"Doctor Amanda Bentley, and I'll be the person reporting you for professional negligence." The grumbling EMT decided that under the circumstances, the best thing for her to do would be comply, which to her credit she did, though she grumbled all the way.  
  
"Jesse, can you hear me?" Jesse responded through slight and gradual movement.  
  
"Amanda?" Jesse opened his eyes gradually. He was visibly disoriented, repeatedly blinking his eyes in attempts to decipher his surroundings.  
  
"Lay still Jesse. We're just getting you some extra blankets, then we'll get you to the hospital."  
  
"Hospital? I don't wanna go to hospital. I don't need to go to hospital."  
  
"Jess, you've inhaled a lot of gasoline fumes, you already look like you're going into full-blown shock and you almost definitely have a concussion."  
  
"I have a concussion? Hey! I have a concussion. I told you that I had a concussion, Amanda."  
  
"Yes Jesse."  
  
The EMT brought out a couple of spare blankets, the oxygen and a stretcher, and laid them down next to Amanda and Jesse's prostrate form. As Amanda wrapped Jesse up in the extra blankets and rigged him up to the portable oxygen tank, the EMT proceeded to the front of the ambulance to wake up her colleague in order for him to help move Jesse.  
  
"Liam, Liam! Wake up. We gotta role!" Liam was about five foot eight with free-willed brown hair and small wire-rimmed spectacles. He was also in great need of a date with a razor! He hailed from South Carolina and had a strong accent, apparent when he responded to his colleague, revealing her name to be Laura.  
  
"What'chu on Laura? Cain't you see ah got better things on ma mind?"  
  
"Don't push it Liam. We got one already threatening to report us for occupational negligence."  
  
"When will people get off," he drawled, as he dismounted form the ambulance, "anyways, it weren't me that was dealing with it now, was it?!"  
  
"no. you were just asleep in the rig." Laura hissed, as Liam walked round to join her. "Which makes you doubly negligent, by my reckoning!" not a word was uttered in response and no further comments were exchanged until they reached Amanda and Jesse, who was now making every attempt to get up from his blanket cocoon, despite his disoriented and weakened state, along with Amanda's countless protestations. His success however, was so non- existent, she really need not have worried.  
  
"Now will you calm yourself down, sir, so we can take y'all to hospital, ya hear?"  
  
"I don't want to go to hospital." Jesse sulked. He had been betrayed by the irrationality of his emotions as a result of the concussion.  
  
"Jesse please. Mark, Steve, CJ and Dion will be waiting." Amanda coaxed.  
  
"But we have to get on, get to Susan. She may be in trouble." Jesse began to get agitate, leading to further convulsions and an increased throbbing in his head. This thus convinced him to gracefully concede, as the other three helped move him onto the stretcher and get him on board the rig.  
  
Amanda inwardly sighed with relief, knowing how stubborn Jesse could be. 


	10. Contact

Author's Note  
  
Hi everyone, thanks for reading so far. Just a few points before I get back into it.  
  
Just an extension of the disclaimer, the precious one still stands, but I would also like to point out that the character Rebecca Fleetwood does not belong to me, I have borrowed her from the episode 'Malibu Fire'. The author's references used inside the text are, to the main, untrue. They are simply based on anecdotes and whatever that people have relayed to me. I just felt that their use in the context of the author's own experience would be the best context through which I could include it in the text. Finally, a quick apology for the past couple of chapters. I know they are not directly relevant to the continuation of the piece as such, they are mainly for me; to give me a tool to play with as the story develops and to focus my mind on the track which I will pursue. I also thought that their inclusion would also serve as scenes to bring a different tone to the proceedings.  
  
Jo. xx  
  
P.S. Thanks for all the lovely reviews so far, you're all being far too kind. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy what is to come and keep reviewing. Thanks again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Chapter 10 - Contact  
  
As Steve had driven to the hospital, he was regaled all the way with CJ and Dion's perceptions of their mother dramatically rescuing Jesse. Steve simply sat in the drivers seat, bitterly silent. This chattering, however, began to penetrate, provoking a reaction from the burly detective.  
  
"Your Mom did nothing brave. She did something very stupid. She could have gotten herself killed." Indefatigable, the boys continued.  
  
"But she saved Uncle Jesse, didn't she CJ?"  
  
"Yeah, wait until we get another show and tell day at school, I'm taking Mom and telling all about today! She's a real hero!"  
  
"Heroine." Dion corrected.  
  
"Is not."  
  
"Is so."  
  
"Ah ah."  
  
"Uhuh."  
  
"No way."  
  
"Way."  
  
"Will you boys be quiet!" Steve snapped as he pulled into the roadside. As if I'm not feeling guilty enough for leaving Jesse and Amanda. But my Dad, I couldn't abandon him. He's the most important think I have, without him, I don't know what I'd do. Steve mentally faltered. Snap out of it Sloan. You've already done enough damage today. Get your head sorted and move. Dad's waiting for you.  
  
Steve inhaled deeply and indicated to return to the regular flow of traffic. He got the Escort moving again and the now subdued party continues on their journey to Renihan-Pierce.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Mark had been settled into his room by his nurse; a thirty-something woman whose otherwise mousey-brown hair was scattered with natural red highlights. She wore hair off her face in a pony tail, making her face look thin and angular. Quite a plain looking face, though, one that you think you could have seen a million times before and never once have noticed, let alone remembered.  
  
Mark was hooked up to an oxygen supply, but that was predominantly as a precaution. His breathing had improved all the way on the journey to the hospital, through the ER and into a private room, where he now was and set to stay overnight to enable to be carried out.  
  
The nurse - Sarah Riding - closed the door quietly behind her as she left Mark to his rest. Mark laid his head back, closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths.  
  
Later on Mark realised that he had been awakened by a noise, he opened his eyes and sat up to see what or whom had disturbed him. A large figure was distinguishable, backed by the bright light of the sun through the window.  
  
"Steve?" Steve had entered his father's room whilst CJ and Dion were left on chairs in the corridor, patiently awaiting the arrival of their mother.  
  
"Hey Dad. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Oh, I'm all right son."  
  
"And the mask?"  
  
"Nothing more than a precaution. And an unnecessary one at that!"  
  
"Dad!"  
  
There was a moment of silence, broken by the ringing of the phone that hung on the wall just above Mark's bed. Steve took hold of it.  
  
"Hello?.Carol?.no but. she's. Oh. Dad, it's for you. Carol."  
  
"Have I had a knock on the head?"  
  
"No it's." Steve mouthed the name. "She may think whoever's after her is listening." He whispered.  
  
"Oh. Carol?"  
  
"I saw the crash on the news. Are you OK?"  
  
"Oh I'm fine. A little shaken, but fine."  
  
"I was worried. What about."  
  
"No one has told me if he has even arrived yet."  
  
"He looked terrible on the news. Mark, please leave the cars. Get back on track as soon as possible. Please. I'll see you soon. Please don't get back in a car. I'm worried."  
  
Mark head the dial tone as the person on the other end had obviously hung up.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
A streak of blond hair flashed amidst the crowds of people.  
  
The best way to maintain cover, you see, is to hide in the open. As a child I had this point proven to me when playing a game of hide and go seek. My brother was also playing the game with my friends and I. So well hidden was he that we resigned our hunting after many frantic minutes of searching. On calling out to him to give himself up, a voice rang out from next to me, proclaiming "I'm here!" You see, Luke had slipped out of his hiding place to be amongst the group and joined us all as we sat on the wall and conceded the search. We were so used to seeing him amongst us that we failed to notice him slip in amongst us.  
  
Under this guise, the small blonde continued on her way, not noticed by anyone because she was there, amongst them. She was not, as it were conspicuous by her absence, but inconspicuous by her presence.  
  
However, I digress, so let us now return to the recipients of the phone call.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well dad, what did she want?" Mark replaced the mask, which he had moved to enable him to speak on the phone. Although he felt it unnecessary, as a doctor he knew the protocol and responsibility took over.  
  
"She told us to leave the cars and get back on track."  
  
"So she wants us to get back on the train. Does that mean she'll be waiting for us at the train station?"  
  
"I don't know Steve. I guess we'll just have to see what happens."  
  
"How will she know when we arrive?"  
  
"I suppose at a station she will be able to slip in and out discreetly, and as she knows where we are, she can call and check when a train from here arrives. At least that we won't have to find her, needle in a haystack style, she will be able to find us, and I doubt that it will be difficult for her to miss the six of us."  
  
There was a temporary lapse in conversation, which was broken by jubilant shouts from outside in the hallway.  
  
"Mom!" The boys whooped. This was followed by a polite knock at the door, which was in turn proceeded by the door opening and Amanda's head appearing around it.  
  
"Hi guys, just thought I'd let you know that we've arrived."  
  
"Come in Amanda, the boys too."  
  
"Dad."  
  
"It's fine son. Don't fuss." Amanda raised her eyes heavenward.  
  
"I can see that you're recovering nicely." She said as she entered the room with CJ and Dion in tow.  
  
"I feel fine Amanda, thanks. Anyway, what about you? That little stunt you pulled back there." Steve looked away and said:  
  
"The boys were very proud of you, they didn't stop talking about it all the way back." The two children beamed at their mother. "Seriously Amanda," Steve said, "are you sure that you're OK. It was a very dangerous thing you did back there."  
  
"I'm fine. As I told Jesse, just a little singed at the edges." At the mention of Jesse, Steve turned away, overridden with guilt. Mark smiled.  
  
"So Jesse's all right then? See Steve, there's nothing to worry about, I told you."  
  
"Well, there's nothing that won't mend with a bit of time." Amanda corrected Mark.  
  
"What's wrong with him." Mark was suddenly consumed with worry, he should have known that things would have been too simple.  
  
"Well, he's being checked out properly now, but my diagnosis was concussion, inhalation of gasoline fumes and shock. He's got lots of cuts and bruises from the impact and the broken glass, plus he took a couple of nasty bumps to the head."  
  
Mark was taken aback, amidst all the excitement he had been unaware how serious Jesse's condition was.  
  
"I just thought that I'd come and check up on you two and the boys and then go back and find out what the official damage is."  
  
"Is he conscious?" Steve ventured.  
  
"In and out. He's generally disoriented when he is conscious. He's also been pray to some really nasty coughing spasms caused by the fumes. They really seem to debilitate him, leaving him very weak in their wake."  
  
"He'll definitely be admitted then." Mark sounded a little despondent.  
  
"I shall be complaining if he isn't." Amanda said. "Why?"  
  
"We've had a phone call, we're expected."  
  
"Huh?" Amanda looked blank.  
  
"Carol rang." Steve explained, making full use of air quotes. "She told us to get back on track. We think that she plans to meet us at the train terminal."  
  
"How does she know where we are?"  
  
"She said she saw something on the news. I can only presume though, that the news crews arrived after we had left."  
  
"Oh yes! It certainly happened. An old friend of ours seemed to think that Michael J. Fox had been in a car accident and that he was rescued by Whitney Houston!"  
  
"Rebecca Fleetwood?" Mark guessed.  
  
"Right first time."  
  
"Doesn't that woman have any ethical grounding?"  
  
"Apparently not." Steve muttered.  
  
"Anyway, I ought to get back to see how Jesse is. You want to come?" she invited Steve.  
  
"Oh, I don't think."  
  
"I think you should go son. It will do you good." Mark knew that Steve was feeling guilty about leaving Jesse. He also knew Jesse well enough to know that he would understand Steve's predicament and would not blame him in the slightest. This however, was something that Steve needed to find out from Jesse himself, which of course could only be done if he went with Amanda. "Go on you two, before Jesse thinks that we've all abandoned him. The boys can stay here with me."  
  
"Thanks." Amanda smiled gratefully. And without further ado she dragged Steve through the halls to where she had left Jesse. 


	11. Interrogation

Chapter 11 - Interrogation  
  
There was a knock at Mark's door. In strode two police officers.  
  
"Doctor Sloan? We wondered if you would be up to be answering a few questions for us. All strictly routine, of course."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Is there anywhere the children can go? They're not yours, I presume."  
  
"No officer. There is nowhere else the children can go, and to be frank, I don't much appreciate your tone. You've not even identified yourselves to me yet." Attitude is certainly not a thing to try on with Mark Sloan. He will always invariably get the better of you.  
  
The woman responded with a recalcitrance that would have been typical for a child of four, not for a young woman of twenty-four. Her looks were stormy, not dissimilar to her attitude. Her unruly pony-tailed raven hair went in all directions, her green eyes glinted. Mark fancied that he didn't like the look of his - or anyone else's - chances, should they happen to meet her down a dark alley.  
  
"This is Officer Forbes and I'm Officer Henson - Clint. I apologise for Mel's attitude, I mean, I'd like to say that she is not normally like that, but." His eyes twinkled as he left the suggestion open.  
  
He was the complete antithesis of his partner, as her hair was dark, his was light. It possessed a natural wave, which along with the sparkling blue eyes and the cheeky grin added to the boy next door look. He was well built - 6ft4 whilst his partner seemed more to be 4ft6. In all honesty, I exaggerate, in actual fact she did just reach 5ft3. She was very slight - to look at her one would think that a strong gust of wind would sweep her off her feet and blow her away. Her partner on the other hand was solidly built, obviously enjoys going to the gym a lot. Mark thought, as he saw the biceps bulging out of the officer's uniform. Where as her looks and tenacious attitude might earn her the title of a witch, he was what could be perceived as a good wholesome boy next door, with whom you wouldn't mind your daughter spending time. You really did have to laugh at the pairing - never before was a 'match' so 'missed'!  
  
"You were driving the car, were you not, Dr. Sloan?" Clint began.  
  
"I was, yes. Though it's not my car you understand. It was a hire car." Clint nodded and scribbled notes, it appeared that he had been nominated as the scribe, but saying that, he probably didn't dare cross his partner.  
  
"Where d'ya hire it?"  
  
"Well, Officer Forbes, I believe that they came from a company called 'Express Motors', and it wasn't me that hired them, I was simply a guarantor, as was my son, Steve."  
  
"Well who the heck hired them then?" she snapped.  
  
"That would have been our friend, Jesse Travis."  
  
"Did he have any reason why he'd wanna kill ya?"  
  
"No!" Mark was astounded that she had the audacity to even suggest such a thing. This certainly seems to be a game of good cop, bad cop, concluded Mark, and it certainly wasn't very hard to tell which one was which.  
  
"Can you think of anyone who would want to kill you then, Sir."  
  
"Not at all." Mark lied. There was no way that he was letting the two stooges know where they were going and why, not that he really knew that himself, if he was honest.  
  
"Where is Travis?" Forbes barked as she made a display of flicking through her notebook to find the accident scene notes that she had evidently made.  
  
"He's in another room somewhere. You seem to forget that he was in the accident, too."  
  
"We completely understand, Dr. Sloan. We'll go and see. Thank you for your time, Dr Sloan."  
  
"We'll need a cell number or something. Just in case you have ant ideas about skipping the country." Mark smiled at her Mel courteously.  
  
Mark wrote the number down for them and the two of them left, Clint shutting the door quietly behind them.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Amanda and Steve sat and waited in the hallway whist the doctor finished checking Jesse over. When she was done, the doctor came our to where the two friends were waiting to tell them her findings.  
  
"Ah, hello. Are you here with Dr. Travis?" the Doctor asked Steve. She recognised Amanda from when t gurney was brought in and nodded her acknowledgement. Steve, however, was a stranger to her.  
  
"Yeah, Lieutenant Steve Sloan. LAPD." She nodded.  
  
"Well, I'm doctor Samantha Davys. I've examined Dr. Travis. He inhaled a lot of smoke, for which he is being oxygen. He also appears to be coming through the shock nicely now. The main thing is the concussion. It's a complex concussion that was caused by the blow he received to the back of his head, that'll make him feel lousy for the next week or so. At the minute, though, the amalgamation of all these things have left him feeling very disoriented, most probably nauseous, giddiness, drowsiness and confusion."  
  
"Well, that'll be nothing new for Jesse."  
  
"I'm sorry?. er, Stewart?"  
  
"Close; Steve. I mean that Jesse usually doesn't have a clue what's going on the best of times."  
  
"That's not true, Steve." Amanda scolded. "Well, he's not that bad." She conceded. "Can we go see him?"  
  
"Yeah, but take it easy. Any problems then just hit the buzzer and I'll be straight along."  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Davys." Samantha Davys smiled at the pair of them and left them to it. Amanda started for the room in which Jesse had been settled. "you coming, Steve?"  
  
"Er."  
  
"Come on." Amanda took her friends arm and led him into Jesse's room.  
  
Jesse fidgeted in the bed, trying to sit up to greet his visitors. This was, however, fruitless as he was still very weak. His shirt was off, revealing all the cuts and bruises on his chest. He, like Mark, was wearing an oxygen mask.  
  
"Hey you. Stay still." Amanda admonished.  
  
"Amanda, what are you doing?"  
  
"Coming to see you. We were worried. I take it you were told what's wrong with you?"  
  
"Uhuh. Smoke inhalation. Shock. Concussion. Pretty normal, really. Have to stay in until tomorrow, at least."  
  
"You feeling OK?"  
  
"About as well as any doctor would expect."  
  
"Lousy?"  
  
"That pretty much covers it, yeah." Jesse's eyes fluttered. He forced himself to keep them open. "You OK Steve? You've not said a word."  
  
"Oh, is that the time? I really ought to relieve Mark from looking after the boys." Amanda took the opportunity to discreetly slip out, giving the two boys the space they needed to talk.  
  
"Steve, how's your dad?"  
  
"He's OK. They're keeping him in till the morning, just for observation; smoke inhalation."  
  
"That's good." Jesse was determined that despite the strong urge to do so, that he was not going to fall asleep.  
  
"You look tired, Jess."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Straight up Jess. How are you?"  
  
"Nauseous, tired, disoriented, dizzy, my head is throbbing."  
  
"OK, I get it." A pause. "Jess, are you mad with me?"  
  
"Mad with you? Why?"  
  
"Do you remember much about the crash and what happened straight after?"  
  
"Smoke, noise, heat, light." The young doctor squirmed in his bed again.  
  
"I left you to die Jess."  
  
"What? Steve, that's not funny. Don't be silly."  
  
"This isn't a joke, Jesse." Steve took hold of his friend wrist firmly, forcing the younger man to look him in the eye. "I left you to die, understand? The choice was between standing with my father at a safe distance and saving you. I chose my father without any thought. You could have died out there, because of me."  
  
"Oh." Jesse was forced to silence. This silence was broken by the entry with the entry of Forbes and Henson. They introduced themselves and without delay, Forbes dived into action.  
  
"Why'd you wanna kill Mark Sloan?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Answer the question."  
  
"Well. I didn't. the car crashed."  
  
"Why'd you tamper with the brakes?"  
  
"What? I didn't!" Steve just stood there, watching the scene unfold.  
  
"Someone did."  
  
"Well it wasn't me."  
  
"Then who was it?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"But it was you that hired the cars, wasn't it?"  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"Why'd you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You know."  
  
"I don't know. You keep saying that I know, but I don't know."  
  
"You know."  
  
"I do not know!" Jesse snapped. Officer Henson decided to intervene.  
  
"Dr. Travis, what do you remember about the incident?"  
  
"Well not a whole lot to be honest." Steve watched as Jesse began to grow agitated and uncomfortable.  
  
"Come on Dr. Travis. Something useful please." Forbes snapped.  
  
"I don't know!" Steve watched. "Oh dear, I don't feel well." Jesse turned pail as the room began to spin.  
  
"I think that it would be best if you left." The voice was strong and sure. Steve stepped forward in the defence of his friend.  
  
"And you would be?"  
  
"Lieutenant Sloan. LAPD homicide."  
  
"Hey Lieutenant Sloan. Great to meet you." Chimed Clint.  
  
"Do you have to be so disgustingly nice to everyone?"  
  
"Yes, Melanie. I do."  
  
"Do you mind? I think Dr. Travis needs to rest. So, I suggest that this interrogation is stopped until Dr. Travis has had some time to rest and then conducted in a manner that is more appropriate."  
  
"We'll be back in half an hour to finish this. Don't try any stupid, like running."  
  
"I can't run," Jesse added feebly, "the grounds moving too fast, I'd never be able to keep up."  
  
"It's O.K. Jess. They're going, NOW!" with that the cops left the room, but not without stating emphatically that they would be back in precisely thirty minutes.  
  
"You OK buddy?" Steve's tone mellowed. It had taken a gentle tone, such a contrast to the tone that he directed at the two officers.  
  
"Yeah. Just a little bit. I don't know."  
  
"Your head hurting you?"  
  
"Oh yeah, feels like someone clubbed me over the head with a lump hammer."  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
"Worse." A pause. "Steve. Thanks for that." Another pause. "Did you really leave me out there?"  
  
"Yeah. You're really mad, I know. I understand."  
  
"No, Steve. I'm not. Not really. I understand why you did it at least."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Sure. I mean Mark's your Dad. Dunno if I'd do the same for my dad, though."  
  
"Yeah, sure you would."  
  
"No, I don't think so. You're dad I'd make sure was OK, I'd go to the ends of the earth to do that. But my dad.!"  
  
"What would you have done had you been in my position and Dad and Amanda had been stuck in the car? What would you do?"  
  
"Steve, I don't think that I could answer that. I just don't know." Jesse conceded to the urge and closed his eyes, resting for a while until the return on his inquisitors. Steve stayed by his bedside, comforted and content in the knowledge that Jesse did not blame him for anything that had happened.  
  
* * * * *  
  
True to their word Henson and Forbes were back in precisely thirty minutes.  
  
It was established that the brake cabled had been tampered with. They had not been severed, instead, they had been weakened, and their usage throughout the journey led to them snapping cleanly into two. The brake pedal becoming disconnected led to the failure of the brakes, which thus resulted in the crashing of the car. Sabotage.  
  
This didn't fail to shock the friends.  
  
"Who would do something like that?" asked Mark of Amanda.  
  
"I don't know, Mark, I just don't know."  
  
"You know, they asked me if I thought Jesse might want to kill me."  
  
"Jesse? Why, he would never do anything like that to anyone!"  
  
"I know. That's what I said. I mean the whole idea is absolutely ridiculous."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think that it may have some connection to the murder of Daniel Robinson." 


	12. The Emperor's New Clothes

AN: Hi all. Just a quick author's note. Sorry it has taken me so long to get further with this, only excuse is that I've just not had the time. Just a quick thought while I remember, the whole train thing is doubtlessly inaccurate, as I have based it on the 'good old' UK system, well, except for the fact the wrong kind of snow or leaves on the line are not a problem. I also know that the journey would most likely be impossible to achieve with such ease, but hey! This is fiction and seen as most of the places are made up, my plea is artistic license.  
  
Chapter 12 - The Emperor's New Clothes  
  
The next day Mark signed his discharge papers and he along with the others succeeded in persuading Dr. Davys into releasing Jesse into their care, using the favourite line: "We are all doctors, after all." In normal circumstances Mark may have insisted that Jesse remained in the hospital as long as the doctors felt to be necessary, but he also knew how important it was that they all got moving once more.  
  
After all that had happened in the past couple of days, Mark figured that he would adopt the child-like belief: Picture the rain, as a child you long to go out and play - playing in the rain, is after all one of the most exciting child-like perceptions of the weather. When scolded by a parent that you may not go out in it you adopt the following belief that "If I move the rain won't get me." Mind, in saying that, you also have the childish belief that if you go out in the rain in a pair of sandals, that despite the fact that they may let the water in, that they do actually let it out again. That theory doesn't work, either.  
  
But theories aside, they headed to the railway interchange and bought their tickets to take them to Carmel.  
  
The journey to the interchange was a slow one, what with the two children and Jesse, especially as they were reliant on the oldest (though probably the most reliable form of transport), the legs.  
  
They settled themselves onto the train, a diesel one this time, painted an interesting combination of an insipid lemon yellow and a murky swampy green, with an interestingly coloured conjoining stripe.  
  
"Whoever chose these colours must have had their eyes closed at the time." Quipped Steve.  
  
"Either that or they had just experienced the nausea of a complex concussion with literal effect." Added Jesse.  
  
"The green's cool. Like the army!" Dion enthused.  
  
"The yellow's disgusting. Like lumpy custard." C.J. added.  
  
"Though I must confess that the thing that really sets it off is that stripe. I mean, salmon tones so well with swampy custard!" Finished Mark, much to the amusement of the boys (all four of them), and the scorn of Amanda.  
  
Despite the sight of the exterior, the interior was something that had to be seen to be believed. Never before had anyone seen so many shades of brown and all in the one place, too. The seats however, proved to be comfortable enough as Mark, and the two bots sat themselves at a table, and Steve and Jesse took the airline style seats across the gangway.  
  
The station was cleared of embarking passengers, littered only with alighting ones, and the train gently pulled away from the station and chugged into action. The rocking motion soon lulled Jesse to sleep, still suffering from adverse effects from the day before. The others chattered quietly amongst themselves so as not to disturb the little one who was sleeping so contentedly.  
  
The train had been in motion for about thirty minutes when a call came requesting the presentation of all tickets and other relevant travel documents. Everyone shuffled things in attempts to retrieve them and Steve gleefully up the sleeping Jesse with a shake.  
  
"Wha.? Steve, why' you wake me?"  
  
"You need to get your ticket out or you'll be thrown off the train."  
  
"Do you think they'd stop it first, or just throw?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The train."  
  
"Oh." Steve leaned over towards the other and said confidentially: "Dad, I don't know if it's relevant, but Jesse is talking nonsense."  
  
"I was not. I was trying to be funny."  
  
"Well, next time perhaps you could try a little bit harder!"  
  
Mark leaned forward and looked at Jesse.  
  
"Are you all right Jesse? You know, even if you feel the slightest bit abnormal, just say."  
  
"Here, let me." Steve interjected as Jesse sat open mouthed. "He's proud to say he doesn't think he's ever been normal!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Well, you said it yourself."  
  
"I was recuperating from genetically modified small pox. Besides, you weren't even there!"  
  
"Well, I heard all about it. In painful detail." Amanda glared at Steve.  
  
"Tickets please." The conversation was interrupted by a woman's voice with a harsh Boston accent. She was small both in height and stature with chestnut brown hair, which had natural red highlights, scraped harshly from her face in a tight bun, and hazel eyes which were disguised by a thin pointed pair of spectacles. She was in her mid-thirties, though she looked older. A face that you could have seen a million times before and never quite realised it.  
  
Amanda did a double take, Steve blinked in disbelief, Marks' mouth dropped open.  
  
"Here." Said Jesse, obliviously, giving the woman his ticket.  
  
"Thank you; Sir. Now, can the rest of you do the same so I can get moving." One by one they all handed over their tickets. "What is the matter with you?" she addressed Mark. "If you keep your mouth open like that, the train will be re-routed through it, under the misconception that someone has erected another tunnel that someone forgot to tell it about."  
  
"Jane?" Amanda stated. The woman turned to look at her.  
  
"I don't know who you, but my name is NOT Jane. It's Jocelyn. Jocelyn Smart."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. You just look someone we met the other day on the trans- continent train."  
  
"Well, it wasn't me, OK. It's bad enough to work on these things, never mind those old rust buckets." With that, she progressed on her journey through the carriage.  
  
"You know," Mark pondered, "I'm sure I've seen her somewhere before, if only I could think where."  
  
"But dad, it was on the train."  
  
"No. I'm sure I've seen her somewhere else. Now where was it?"  
  
"Well, I think you're all mad. I've never seen the woman before in my life, I mean, she even said herself that she wasn't on that train."  
  
"Did you see her Jess?"  
  
"No Steve. That's precisely my point. I didn't and nor did you. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to try and a get a little more shut-eye before the wild-goose chase in C. well you know where." Conceding, the others gave up, and on the other hand, they could now all appreciate the differences between the two women if they thought about it.  
  
When someone presents such a convincing argument and doubts remain, the 'sensible' argument will become prominent and convince you that the other scenario was entirely in your head, for one reason or another. I like to call this The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome. Let me explain a little. Not wanting to appear a fool, you accept something outlandish as genuine, and the real truth is concealed, for now, at least. The belief becomes so strong that it can only be gotten rid of by the blunt outside observation of the 'young boy', advising everyone to "Look at the King."  
  
Such words from Jesse, however, did not prevent that niggle at the back of Mark's mind. He knew that he recognised him, but from where? 


	13. In Search Of Sanctuary

Chapter 13 - In Search Of Sanctuary  
  
As the train neared it's destination a satisfied silence resumed amongst the friends, content to all be back together and to be safe once more, though the thought remained, who was this Jocelyn Smart?  
  
The answer was to come to Mark as they all alighted the train.  
  
"Sarah Riding!" Mark said, as he snapped his fingers. The name came to him in a flash of inspiration.  
  
"Huh?" said Jesse.  
  
"Wasn't she your nurse, Mark?"  
  
"Did you get a bump on the head Dad?" I mean, there's no way that she could be all three people."  
  
"Mark, I'd be lying if I said that I understood you. Are you sure it's me that's the one with the concussion and not you?" Amanda shot Jesse a glare so sharp that it could quite easily have taken his eye out!  
  
"It sounds ridiculous, but I just know it's her. We need to get her before the train goes on. I just know that she's got to be the key to all of this."  
  
"Dad, that's crazy talk."  
  
"Please Son, humor me. Get after her. We need to speak to her."  
  
As Steve as about to get back on the train, the doors beeped shut, leaving them stranded on the busy platform and carried on its up-coast, up-state journey.  
  
"We missed the chance to find out what was going on."  
  
"I'm sorry Dad. I." They all began to mingle amidst the other commuters and began walking the length of the long platform.  
  
"I know son. Mind you, I'm sure that she won't stay in hiding for long, not with the frequency with which she has appeared to date."  
  
"How on earth could she be so confident, not to mention how was she able to move between spheres. I mean stewarding on board a train is one thing, but nursing is a whole other ball game."  
  
"She must have been very clever, Amanda. I'm not quite sure how she managed the transition, but she did."  
  
"Well, I've heard that Renihan-Pierce will not even accept the applications of training nurses. They're so careful with their checks. You can't enter the wards without your own personal code, which you wouldn't be given unless you were working there, which means that you're fully qualified, with excellent references, and brilliant to boot." Everyone looked at the small, blond man, somewhat taken aback.  
  
"Jesse, how do you know all that?" Mark questioned.  
  
"Susan applied for a job there. She got turned down. Not good enough apparently. They are really meticulous, though. They check for full career history, education, family background even. Only the best will do, there's no room for potential trouble-makers, even if the scale is only rippling the surface. They're worse than the FBI."  
  
"So that means that she has to be a nurse. That at least, narrows it down some."  
  
"No Steve, that narrows it down a lot!" Mark corrected. "If that really is the case, she will be a registered nurse. We also know her real name, if the checks were that frenetic then she would have been forced to use her own name and identity. Besides, she never had any intention to harm us there, too easy to trace. I think she probably only got to us there to enable her to keep tabs on our movements."  
  
"So we can safely assume," Amanda's voice concluded, "that her real name is Sarah Riding."  
  
".Sarah Riding." Another voice said simultaneously.  
  
They all turned on their heel to see who had placed themselves in the middle of their conversation.  
  
* * * * *  
  
When the train had stopped and the gang had dismounted, two eyes watched earnestly as they meandered along the platform. They eyes then relied on a now familiar strategy - using being seen as the perfect hiding place. She slipped into the throngs of people. Now all she had to do was bide her time.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"How did she physically manage to be in all those places at once? I mean, it's not as if she can rely on the power of telepathy."  
  
"I may be able to help with that." A voice volunteered.  
  
They sat in a small dimly lit room, that the seventh had led them to, not a five minute walk from the railway interchange. Not dissimilar in décor to a cell. Furnished elegantly with the finest selection of wooden crates. It had your standard two-tone paint job: a dirty grey bottom half, the top half much the same, only cleaner. The only source of light in the room was a tiny window that sat way above their heads, (well, way above Jesse's head, marginally higher than the heads of the others.  
  
After the conversational formalities; summarised effectively in three simple phrases: "How are you?" "I have a concussion." "So I've heard." And the case facts so far, the conversation proceeded thus:  
  
"I know Sarah."  
  
"So we gathered." Jesse interrupted bitterly, rubbing his sore head to emphasise his point. He was glared into silent submission.  
  
"As I say, I know her. She's got a brilliant mind. Her and her brother. I'm sure they could have calculated the distance and braking degree that would be required to snap the cable and end up in the admission district of Renihan-Pierce. Had she gone there straight away, she would have beaten you easily, then all she had to do was call in sick and go and pretend to work for the train company. Her brother has. connections.  
  
"Susan." something had suddenly dawned on Jesse. "how come you've not asked about Dniel yet. I mean, you and he were married, weren't you?!"  
  
"I kind of resigned myself o the fact that he would be killed. He volunteered to come and find you, give me a chance to keep my head down." She said sadly.  
  
"Why'd they try and kill me and Mark then?"  
  
"They shouldn't have known who you are. Really I don't know. I can only apologise." Jesse rolled his eyes in disbelief.  
  
"I think I might know. They found us when they killed Daniel, then in order to follow us, they sabotaged the car figuring we would then transfer back to the train as the only available means to travel, hence being easier to follow."  
  
"That means they could have followed us here!" shrieked Susan. "We have to get out. Now!"  
  
"Where can we go? If we go out the same way we came in, they'll probably be waiting for us."  
  
"That's not a problem, Steve. There's a back door. We'll be able to slip out there unnoticed."  
  
"Where can we go after that? That plan is only gonna work if we have somewhere to run to."  
  
"Anybody know anyone in Carmel?" Steve asked hopefully.  
  
"Perhaps I could suggest something?"  
  
"Go ahead, Dad."  
  
"Could we not go and seek sanctuary in the hospital? Do you know the easiest one to get to, Susan? At least then we won't have to worry about Sleepy over there." Mark said inclining his head towards Jesse. Jesse Sat up immediately, aware that he was being talked about.  
  
"I was not asleep!" he started indignantly. "I was just resting my eyes is all."  
  
"Course you were, Jess." Steve smirked.  
  
"What about the boys, Mark? I'm not having them running about and being left open to a dangerous situation."  
  
"That's why I think we should go to the hospital. We'll take three cabs. Amanda, you take the boys in the first one, Jesse and Susan, you take the second, I'll go with Steve in the last. That will look the most credible to the independent observer." And so they left.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In the cab Jesse and Susan got there first opportunity to talk, to really talk.  
  
"Why are they doing this, Susan?"  
  
"I can't tell you that. Not here." The cab driver glanced in his mirror, then carried on.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be much that you're able to tell me, does there?"  
  
"You mean Daniel."  
  
"Yes I mean Daniel. But Daniel's hardly the first thing you forgot to tell me about, is he?"  
  
"Jesse, what?"  
  
"Well, there was Greg for a start."  
  
"Greg?!" Susan gulped, remembering all too well.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me how to get in touch with you. It never occurred to you that I might be worried. You just ran. Mind, it appears you're good at that too."  
  
"Yes, Jesse. It occurred to me to tell you. You seem to forget that I loved you." It was Jesse's turn to flounder. "I didn't tell you, Jesse, because I knew how you would react. Besides, what I did is nothing to do with you. It's my life Jesse and I make my own decisions. Can we please drop it?!" it was more of an instruction that a question.  
  
"So. how long were you married." Said Jesse breaking the silence, he never had been one for letting silence prosper.  
  
"Six months. Six of the best months of my life."  
  
"Where were you living? Mark never said."  
  
"You'll laugh when you hear."  
  
"Will I?" Jesse said, cynically.  
  
"We've been living in Searidge. I've been working there as a private nurse."  
  
"Searidge?" Jesse almost choked on the word. "How could you go back there?"  
  
"Well, it is a pretty little town, and it was fine once they got rid of all the nasty inhabitants."  
  
"Nasty inhabitants?" Jesse mocked. "Susan, they tried to kill us!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Amanda took the opportunity the journey presented to ring Phil Martinez in Cregtown to find out the results of the autopsy.  
  
Traces of a very mild sedative had been found. Just enough to calm Daniel long enough for sufficient air to be injected and for him not to remember anything about it and be back up and about on his almost straight away. The sedative, Phil told Amanda had entered his body through a mark that at first glance appeared to be a bug bite, probably fired at him from a short distance, not giving him an opportunity to avoid the poisoned dart. By the time he would have realised what was coming towards him, it would have been too late. Other than the tranquilliser and the embolism, the autopsy came back clear. All this was to be confirmed in the official report, which Phil would ensure reached the path lab at Community General Hospital straight away.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The cabs deposited them outside the hospital: Hope Hospital, as indicated on the large (off)-white sign. When they had all congregated, Mark said:  
  
"All right Jess, exaggerate the symptoms your concussion. Horrendous headache, overwhelming nausea, deep feelings of lethargy. Hyperbole is your friend."  
  
"He's never had any trouble with that one so far!" Susan said.  
  
"Right Jesse," Mark said entirely disregarding Susan's comment, "in character now please. Steve, could you help him to make it look good." Steve took Jesse's weight against his left hand side. "Could you cough a bit too, Jesse. Then we can always fall back on the smoke inhalation line."  
  
Jesse coughed dramatically, which he regretted immediately, as his throat was still raw from the previous day's exertions. The show must go on, however, so the coughing continued, although henceforth it was done with a little more delicacy.  
  
"Here goes." Said Mark. "I only hope that this works" he added under his breath as he went to take a post at Jesse's other shoulder. 


	14. The Stages

Chapter 14 - The Stages  
  
Stage 1: The Check-in Desk  
  
"Can I help you, Sir?" a young receptionist asked Mark while C.J. and Dion stood beside him and the others fussed over Jesse, who was doing his best to look pathetic.  
  
"My friend was in car accident yesterday."  
  
"Our Mom rescued him." Interjected Dion. The receptionist smiled politely at them, whilst Mark continued,  
  
"He was checked out of hospital this morning into our care, most of us being doctors, (even the patients a doctor) and we guaranteed that should the symptoms persist, we would bring him to the nearest hospital, and, well, here we are."  
  
"Right, can I take his name?"  
  
"Jesse Travis."  
  
"And he's from.?"  
  
"Los Angeles. He's an ER doctor there."  
  
"And he's insured I presume."  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid that we don't have the details with us at the moment, though. If you call Community General Hospital, though, they'll give you all the details that you'll need. They keep Jesse's file at hand, it's quicker that way. Most of the staff must know it by heart by now, though."  
  
"Does he have a bit of a history of this sort of thing, then?"  
  
"Yes, well, that's certainly one way of putting it."  
  
"Well, if you want to go and sit over on those chairs, all of you, I'll give you a form to fill in, basic medical history, etcetera, then we'll get a doctor straight out to you."  
  
  
  
Stage 2: The Forms  
  
"Right Jess, I'll ask you the questions and the you give me the answers, OK."  
  
"Right Mark, that shouldn't be too difficult."  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Couldn't you have found an easier one to start with?" Steve asked smugly and exchanged a high-five with C.J.  
  
"Jesse Travis. Ask me another."  
  
"Date of birth?"  
  
"28th February, 1972. my sign is Pisces."  
  
"I didn't need that bit, Jess."  
  
"Sorry. Thought it might help."  
  
"Well it didn't. right, now a tricky question. Medical history?"  
  
"Yes. I have one!"  
  
"Jesse," warned Mark. "You're supposed to be suffering. Now come on Jess, medical history?"  
  
"How am I supposed to remember? I have a concussion, you know. A complex concussion." Mark sighed. There really was nothing he could say in response to that. Instead he settled for:  
  
"Fine, I'll fill it in as best I can. Concussions."  
  
"Lots of them." (Amanda).  
  
"Did you know," said Jesse, "that 1.5 million Americans suffer concussions every year, and that's not excluding serious head injuries from car accidents."  
  
"They obviously left an important demographic out of that total." Said Steve. "They for got to count Jesse."  
  
"They probably ran out of fingers to count on." Added Amanda.  
  
"Ha, ha." Said Jesse.  
  
"The occasional bullet. Allergies to lots of plants, including sun flowers, victim in hit and run accidents, exhaustion, mild symptoms of Legionnaires Disease, small pox, Consumption of hallucinogenic drugs."  
  
"Hey! That wasn't my fault!"  
  
"I know Jess."  
  
"It sounds like a piece of fictional writing, except people would laugh it off as being too unrealistic." Steve joked.  
  
When the form was completed, it was handed back to the receptionist, who was as good as her word and got the first handy doctor.  
  
  
  
Stage 3: The Doctor  
  
Jesse was taken to an exam room round a back corridor, outside which the others attempted to maintain a low profile.  
  
After spending a good time in with Jesse, the doctor stepped out of the exam room.  
  
"Perhaps you should all come in with me." She said, "The news may be easier to take if you are all together."  
  
The doctor stood at about 5 foot 6 with long brown hair that hung in two plaits. She had blue eyes and a small, thin mouth. She was Doctor Maria Hart, aged 24, a very newly qualified doctor.  
  
"I'm afraid Dr. Travis sustained an internal injury and the only way we'll be able to remedy it is to take him down to surgery and deal with it. We might even have to remove the problem area."  
  
"What?" Jesse sat bolt upright.  
  
"What are you talking about removing?" asked Steve nervously.  
  
"His head!" said Maria curtly. "Unless of course someone would like to give me an explanation. His condition's serious, deteriorating. My eye! Pull the other one, it plays Jingle Bells. He has every symptom he should have, but it's not a problem worth wasting my time for. Unless of course there's something else that you'd like to tell me."  
  
Stage 4: Busted  
  
"Dr. Hart. We are so sorry." Jesse began. "Please don't hurt me." Amanda had to smile to herself. Although the doctor was young, Amanda liked her style, and had in fact, used similar tactics in the past herself.  
  
"I took the Hippocratic Oath too, you know." She smiled. "But I do think that I'm owed an explanation. You must have some reason for all of this. Besides, you never know, I may be able to help you!"  
  
"I certainly hope you can, Dr. Hart. I just hope you can."  
  
"If you follow me, I'll take you somewhere private where we'll be able to talk without taking up one of my ER beds. I'm due on break now anyway, and I need to get some food before I wither away to nothingness."  
  
"Speaking of food, I'm starved." Said Jesse, who had until that point, forgotten that it had been a while since he had last had something to eat.  
  
"I'm afraid the cafeteria food isn't up to much."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it'll be great!" Steve enthused.  
  
"Are you sure it's not him who bumped his head?" Maria asked, inclining her head towards Steve.  
  
"I apologize for my son's crazed behaviour, but for some strange reason he seems to like hospital food. I'd just like to make it clear now that he doesn't take after me in that respect."  
  
Maria smiled. 


	15. Partners In Crime

A/N Just a quick note before I start. I wanted to thank everyone for reviews to date and also a big thanks to the people who emailed me, it made sure that this was never far from my mind, even if it did take a while to finish.  
  
I hope this doesn't seem to dwindle into nothing and has been worth the wait. I'll apologise now for any type-o's, I'm so keen to get this up. I am now complete! (  
  
Thanks again to everyone for keeping reading. Take care.  
  
Jo. xx  
  
PARTNERS IN CRIME  
  
DISCLAIMERS AS BEFORE  
  
Chapter 15 - Truths Revealed  
  
"My goodness. You've been through all that in the past couple of days?" asked Maria between mouthfuls of what could only be described as brown slop.  
  
"Uhuh. What is this stuff anyway?" asked Jesse. Maria shrugged.  
  
"Meatloaf!" said Steve confidently.  
  
"And you can tell that how?" asked Jesse, "If you sent it to the lab you'd be lucky if they could find traces of anything that is even remotely edible."  
  
"Anyway, Susan," Amanda interjected as curiosity finally got the better of her, "you never told us why Jocelyn Smart wanted to kill you."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The group, which had now grown to eight, say in a quiet room tucked down a corridor seemingly at the back of beyond. The room was something like an on- call/sleep room. The 'engaged' sign on the door had been flicked across, so they would not be disturbed.  
  
The walls were a calming heather colour, a soft purple-lilac. There was one small window, covered by a metallic blind. There was a row of halogen lights inset in the ceiling and a desk lamp on the small lamp. At the desk was a chair, on which Steve sat. there was also a small sofa, which was the refuge for Susan, Maria and Jesse, and on the bed sat Amanda and Mark. C.J. and Dion sat in the middle of the floor on a couple of cushions from the sofa.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Where do I start?"  
  
"The beginning would be good." Jesse started back. Maria shuffled uncomfortably between Susan at one end of the couch and Jesse at the other. She guessed that she had gotten herself into the middle of a somewhat prickly situation.  
  
"I trained with Jocelyn. We were both registered at the same time and my big brother, Tommy used to be in lots of clubs and societies with her brother, Clarke at school. As a group you could say that we were inseparable and that our connections ran very deep."  
  
"Clarke?" Steve interrupted. "Wasn't that the train guard's name?"  
  
"Yeah." Amanda smiled. "The one you said would make a lovely couple with our Ms. Smart."  
  
"Thanks for the reminder, Amanda. And I have to say, I think that it was rather unfair of you to remind me that I was wrong about one tiny little detail."  
  
"What's that Cupid?" Jesse grinned slyly. "You were getting ready to set them up on a date for a minute there!"  
  
"Hey, I got that they were the pair, I just figured it in slightly the wrong context."  
  
"Carry on, Susan." Mark urged, eager to get to the bottom of things.  
  
"Well, Clarke and Joss used to get on real well with Tommy and me; we would all go out bowling, to the movies."  
  
"Susan, how do you account for the age difference between you all?"  
  
"Well, Tommy's the oldest in our family and he went to school with Clarke. I was a late arrival, but because the boys grew up together I knew the family real well. Then, as I said, I trained to be a nurse with Joss, she may be older than me but we both began training at the same time."  
  
"Why was she so late starting nursing?"  
  
"I told you before, Joss has a brilliant mind. I mean, she is so clever, but her high intelligence means that she always needed to be challenged, everything she did until she began nursing was mundane to her. Nursing allowed her to connect with people, something that didn't come easily to her, so there was the element of challenge involved. She thrived on challenge. That was where the trouble started."  
  
Maria shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She had followed the proceeding with her eyes as one might watch a game of tennis. She made to stand up.  
  
"Perhaps I should leave you guys to it. You don't want me in here holding things up." Maria stepped towards the door.  
  
"Don't feel that you have to leave, Dr. Hart." Jesse said. "We might need your help. Someone that knows the lie of the land. We want. I mean, I want you to stay."  
  
"Oh." Maria blushed. "Call me Maria, please."  
  
"Maria, please stay. Besides, if you go it means that I have to sit next to HER and I don't think that I could stomach that."  
  
"Oh, stop it, Jesse. You're behaving like a spoilt brat."  
  
"And you, Susan ROBINSON, have no regard for other people. As long as Susan is all right, then that's fine with you."  
  
"Oh and like you always put in so much effort. "Fancy getting a bite to eat, Susan." I hope for something romantic, and all nice and quiet, but no! It's always BBQ Bob's."  
  
"Hey! What's wrong with Bob's?" Steve asked, deeply wounded. His question, though, seemed to go unheard.  
  
"You never had time for me, Jesse. It was always the hospital that came first, one of those little research projects and drug trials, or Bob's or any other of your countless and more important obligations!"  
  
"At least I was always honest with you!"  
  
"Will you let the whole Greg thing drop?"  
  
"I'm sorry Susan, but no I cannot. As time goes on I wonder how many more things you have hidden from me."  
  
"Oh, that is so rich coming from you. Lecturing me on trust! It wasn't me who flirted with every woman I met, pretty or otherwise, who came within a forty kilometre radius."  
  
"Susan, I never."  
  
"No, Jess. Look at you. You're even flirting with her."  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Yes, Jesse, you are. "Please stay." "We want you to stay." If that's not flirting, then I don't know what is."  
  
"How dare you say that about me? I was not flirting with Doctor Hart! What do you think I am?"  
  
"I refuse to answer that on the grounds that might incriminate me! Come on Maria. Dr. Travis there's flirting with you. Does it make you feel special? Even if I tell you about all the other girls he's tried before. They were all flattered at first, but each of them saw the light. It only serves to make me wonder what took me so long to realise. So, Dr. Hart, how do you feel? How do you feel?" Maria Hart just sat as still as a stone. She did not know quite how to react. "Well?"  
  
"Leave her out of this, Susan. This is your mess and you and that HUSBAND of yours have dragged the rest of us into it. You risk all of our lives, you kill your husband, whom you claim you love so much and is incomparable to me on so many levels, yet you really don't seem too bothered about it all. Still you've not told us why you dragged us all here. Come on Susan, it's time the procrastination stopped!"  
  
"Well, you're not letting me get a word in edgeways."  
  
"You've already said too much without explaining anything. So please stop wasting our time, tell us why we're here so that we can sort out your mess and I can get back to something that matters."  
  
"So, I meant nothing to you?"  
  
"Snap out of it, Susan. You're head won't get through the door otherwise. Your halo will get stuck."  
  
"Oh, now I remember why I left you."  
  
"Why you left me? You've only just remembered? He was a chiropractor called Daniel Robinson. You forget about your husband, you know the one that's dead. What kind of a wife are you?"  
  
"One that would do anything for her husband and one that wanted to protect her friends. And, believe it or not, I wanted to protect you."  
  
"You wanted to protect us, did you? Well tell me then Susan, why did you lead those two homicidal maniacs to us?"  
  
"They'd already found you before Jesse, don't you get it?"  
  
"Well, let me see. No. I do not."  
  
"Jesse, stop it. Let Susan speak, the sooner you let her talk, the sooner we can get something done, sort this mess out and get out of here."  
  
"Fine Mark," Jesse grumbled, "but she's not making any sense."  
  
"Let her finish. Susan?"  
  
"As I said before I was interrupted, Joss found nursing to be a challenge. She was in her element. It was the first time in her life that she was able to form genuine bonds with someone, other than me, of course. Then she started working in the ITU. She ran a very tight ship and was meticulous to say the very least. She would work with all the people who had debilitating conditions, people who had poor quality of life, she began to love these people and she began to feel with them too."  
  
"What did she do Susan? Why does she want to kill you, and why does she want to kill us." Steve asked.  
  
"Joss also worked for a very brief while at Community General, I had only just started work there and I was still finding my feet. She was just a temp and worked round all the wards; surgery; the ER; ICU, you name it.  
  
"Anyway, Joss felt so aligned with her patients, those who were terminal, those with progressive conditions that would lead to a vegetative state, dependence or helplessness and anyone who asked her, she euthanised. She would inject them with something. The cases were terminal in many cases, there was no need for an autopsy. Either that or she would inject air into their system. She would give them an air embolism and cause them to die."  
  
"That's exactly what she did with Daniel!" Amanda said.  
  
"How did you find out about that? What she was doing?" Steve asked.  
  
"I happened to walk by one day, I saw her through the window, the rooms were like goldfish bowls so you could see right in. Anyway, I saw her standing over this patient, the end stages of MND, much longer and the woman would have been in a very bad condition. I saw her inject the woman and I knew she had had her meds. because I had given them to her earlier on. She stayed in there for a while until the machines started beeping, the cardiac monitors made such a din, but she switched them off as soon as they had started, I saw her. Then she came to the nurse's station a couple minutes later and told us that the woman had died. After that, I kept my eye on her."  
  
"What's that got to do with her time at CGH?" Mark questioned.  
  
"When she was in the ER, several critical trauma cases that Jesse worked on died. Yes, they were in a serious condition, but they would have recovered. Maybe not completely, but they were alive. Jesse had worked so hard to save them and yet they died. Their injuries, again were sever enough not to warrant an explanation but she was frightened that Jesse might notice a pattern. All the critical patients of his that died, he had worked on with her. I had my suspicions, but there was nothing substantive. I guess that I was afraid, both of what she might do to me and that I might lose my job. I was so frightened."  
  
"She killed MY patients?" Jesse turned a very funny shade of red. "I can't believe that she killed my patients."  
  
"She thought that if I had gotten in touch with you, saying what I knew, you could dredge out the records from Community General and that we may be able to start building a case up against her. So she tried to kill me. Then she followed Daniel, and Daniel led her to you."  
  
"I see that there was a certain amount of reconnaissance work that went into this." Amanda commented. "No one could accuse her or her brother of not going the full mile."  
  
"That's quite a story you've got yourself there, Susan." Mark concurred. "We have to find out where they are now and devise a plan."  
  
"Dad." Steve warned.  
  
"I think we got ourselves some criminals to catch." Steve groaned. Jesse brightened at this and Steve groaned.  
  
"Mark, what about the boys?" Amanda was concerned  
  
"I could find somewhere they could stop here."  
  
"I can't ask you to look after them, Maria." Amanda said.  
  
"Hey, I'm coming with you. I was thinking of finding a nurse we could leave them with."  
  
"Susan should stay here. She can look after C.J. and Dion. I think that it could be too dangerous."  
  
"You want me to stay here and play babysitter?"  
  
"I think that it would be best." Mark attempted to reassure, though Susan didn't seem quite so convinced.  
  
The next bit was the most difficult. They had to some up with a plan of action. They had to find some what they could get to Jocelyn and Clarke. 


	16. To Catch A Thief

TO CATCH A THIEF (Disclaimers as before)  
  
The drive was a tense one. Jesse was forever checking the mirrors as he drove along. He could see the Dodge Dart following him. Such an ordinary looking little car, so many potential hazards. The Dodge had been on his tail for several blocks now and seemed to be keeping pace with him. He could feel the adrenaline flowing through him and the rapid thump, thump of his heart. He thrived on the nervous excitement that came with the thrill of the chase.  
  
Jesse was driving Maria's car about which he had many scruples a key one being was that the car was pink! It contributed nothing to his manly image. He had also left with strict instructions about the cars tendencies and a threat of what he could look forward to if the car was not returned in one piece. Maria really did love Annabel.  
  
* * *  
  
"If you guys need transport then you can borrow Annabel."  
  
"Who's Annabel?" Steve asked.  
  
"She's my car. Perhaps even the most loyal friend a girl could want! Anyway, you're free to borrow her."  
  
"Jesse, you take Maria's car. Amanda and I will follow in one of the two hire cars we can get our hands on and Steve and Maria can follow behind.  
  
"Sure thing. It'll be the first time since this whole thing started that I'll have had time to think." Jesse was quite excited, especially as he was to play a key role in operation 'To Catch A Thief'. Not a great name to all intents and purposes, especially as they were trying to catch a murderer, but it was the best that they could come up with on such short notice and Maria felt it would only be right and proper if the whole operation had a name.  
  
* * *  
  
Jesse came to an intersection and took a right. Still glancing in his mirrors his saw the Dodge go straight across. Jesse breathed out, letting go of a breath he did not know that he had been holding. He had just got his mind psyched, now he was going to have to go into neutral for a bit. He had to bide his time without turning into a nervous wreck. The feeling in his stomach reminded him of the time he had to organise the fundraiser and all the chefs were competing with one another. The tension of whether A would sabotage B and C would kill any guests felt very similar to this. He wished, as he had then, that Susan was nearby with a bottle of milk of magnesia to calm his upset stomach.  
  
"You're on your own with this one, Travis." He thought. What he wouldn't give for just someone to be there.  
  
Jesse turned Annabel onto the street that led to the main shopping district and drove directly past the railway interchange, acutely aware of all the crowds that were thronging on the sidewalks about him, (some with suitcases, some with rucksacks and some with regular shopping bags) and the dense population of cars that were moving slowly on their way.  
  
As Jesse progressed, a car flashed on its indicator and pulled out into the stream of traffic behind Jesse. It was a blue Fiat, and Jesse noticed that it had a recent license plate and a sticker in the front window for the hire dealership that the gang had used. Jesse cocked his eyebrows as he took a good look at the people travelling in the car behind him.  
  
There was a man in the driving seat and a woman to his right in the passenger side. She looked quite small.  
  
"This is it." Thought the young doctor. "Things are starting to move."  
  
Jesse got out his cell phone and thumbed the speed dial button that got him straight through to Mark.  
  
"Mark, I've picked up a tail. It wasn't the Dodge. This is a blue Fiat, recent licence plates and I would like to wager a great big bumper sticker for the hire place that you used."  
  
"O.K. Thanks, Jesse. I'll call Steve and tell him the state of play as it stands. I don't think that they'll try and drive you off the road, but keep your eyes open and your senses sharp. You know the plan?"  
  
"Yeah. Roger that, Mark. Over and Out. Sorry, I've always wanted to say that." Mark chuckled.  
  
"O.K. Good luck, Jess." Jesse terminated the connection and switched his attention back to driving along and checking the progress of the car behind.  
  
"Come on Annabel. It's just you and me now. And I must be losing my marbles, I'm talking to a car. Not only am I talking to a car, I am calling it by its name, and the thing that scares me even more is that I am acknowledging that it does actually have a name. Woah, I really am nervous."  
  
The car kept a safe distance from Annabel. It was near enough to keep a good tail on Jesse, so should he lose his nerve and panic, driving off at speed, then it would be in a position to do likewise. On the other hand it was far enough away to seem unobtrusive. Just a subtle pressure, a kind of we're here, we can see you and you're not going anywhere. Just how you'd want a guardian angel, only this was no guardian angel, it was something far more sinister and was making poor Jesse question his sanity.  
  
A car (a bright orange VW Beetle) in front of Jesse came to an abrupt stop, stalling and the young doctor had to drive around it. He assumed that those chasing him would be appearing from behind, but the car started up, pulling in between the two vehicles. Jesse heard the shriek of tires coming from behind him, as his nemesis skidded round the Beetle getting its pray in sight once more. When they had achieved contact once more with their target, their pace slowed to the steady one it was before.  
  
Jesse took them through town, driving carefully, never breaking a speed limit, never skipping a light, nor did the Fiat. Jesse's heart starting to pound again, seemed to rise into his mouth. They reached the industrial suburbs, Jesse in control all the way.  
  
As the concrete and chrome turned to steel and cement and the steel and cement turned to trees and fields, they drove along in their small convoy.  
  
After they had been on the road for about an hour a building came into view, a small, localised hospital that could have been a barn. Jesse drove down the driveway to the facility and carefully parked the car, relieved that he had done no damage to it. He got out and went inside.  
  
The Fiat pulled in a minute later, parked up next to Annabel and went through the door they had just seen Jesse go through. The door led them into what appeared to be a hospital ward. As with all hospitals the place was light and airy and had that strange smell that is common to all hospitals everywhere. There could also be heard a kind of white noise, a continuous series of buzzes and beeps that were sufficient to alert a person's consciousness and yet were calming in their regularity.  
  
The pair could see Jesse and Amanda in a room at the end of the corridor to the left. They seemed to be looking over someone in a bed there. She was considering how best to dispose of them, what was the best course of action:  
  
The tranquil environment was shattered a few moments later by a persistent tone, a shrill one that signalled the failure of a heart on a cardiac monitor. Jocelyn's instincts as a nurse shot into action. She traced the noise of the beeping to a private room at the end of a corridor where there was a young woman on the bed. So focussed was Joss's state of mind, she did not notice that there were no other staff running to the rescue. The tone had been sounding for several minutes before Jocelyn had pinpointed the source of the noise, a time scale that worried her. The brain had been starved of oxygen, there was a chance that the patient's brain had been irreparably damaged.  
  
She ransacked the room looking for supplies, searching through drawers and cupboards, while Clarke stood there, useless.  
  
Too late. It's too late. No one can ever come back from this and be completely normal. I have to save her. I have to show her mercy. I have to show her love.  
  
She found a syringe. She found a vile of morphine. She approached the woman on the gurney and ran a hand through her hair.  
  
"It's all right. I'm here. I can help you. I'm going to help you. Nobody deserves to live like this." She soothed. She prepared the syringe and filled it up with the liquid from the phial. She prepared the sight of the injection, the vein in the neck. Death would be quick and the site was more easily accessible than anywhere else she could have tried. She began to gently push the needle into the skin, slowly, lovingly, not wanting to cause the patient any pain, slowly, slowly. She loved her job. She loved helping people. She felt a tight grip on her shoulder. She felt the force as she was flung around to face an audience of four faces: Amanda, Jesse, Steve and Mark.  
  
Jocelyn Smart had been so focussed on her patient that she had failed to see Steve creep in, hand cuff Clarke and keep a firm grip on his shoulder as he marched him to a lockable closet just outside the room where he would be kept for safe keeping. He then returned to carry on with the job.  
  
In her shock Smart had let go of the needle, but it remained erect in the patient's neck. Steve yanked her arms behind her and handcuffed her.  
  
Sirens could be heard outside and heavy footsteps thundered up the corridor.  
  
"In here." He yelled. "One perp. is down and is in the closet just outside here. Second perp. is neutralised and in here with me. I suggest you arrest them both for murder and conspiracy to commit. I also suggest that you add assault to the charge sheet."  
  
"Yes, sir." One of the officers said. They took the suspects away, never to be found again.  
  
Mark went up to the figure on the gurney with Jesse and Amanda hot on his heels.  
  
"Don't move, Sweetie." Mark said.  
  
He put one hand under the patients chin and Amanda placed a second one on the chest while Jesse stepped up and gingerly removed the needle, bit by bit. Slowly, slowly, just as it had gone in.  
  
"Clear." He said when it was done. The figure on the bed gingerly got up as the hands that were holding her down were removed.  
  
"How are you feeling sweetie?" Amanda asked.  
  
"I think I feel sick." Said Maria.  
  
"You did a good job. Well done." Mark said.  
  
"You were great. Almost as good as I was when we were trying to trap this woman who was infatuated with me. She was called Chloe and she was a nutcase." Maria looked at Jesse out of the corner of her eye. She did not quite know whether Jesse was telling the truth but decided just to nod and smile. "Are you cold, Maria. Do you know that you're shivering?"  
  
"I think that you may be in a bit of shock, there. Just sit there a moment and get your bearings back, then we'll get you in a car and take you back."  
  
"Did you damage Annabel?" Maria asked as she shivered.  
  
"Annabel is absolutely fine." Jesse reassured as he draped a blanket around her shoulders.  
  
"I don't need that." Maria protested.  
  
"Humor me, I'm a doctor." Jesse grinned. Maria smiled in gratitude.  
  
"Everything O.K.?" Steve asked.  
  
"I don't think that Maria is used to this sort of excitement. She's not quite as used to living the fast life as we are." Mark grinned. "Great work everyone. Let's go pick up C.J. and Dion and tell Susan that she's safe."  
  
"Do we have to?" Jesse grumbled.  
  
"I want my boys back, Jesse." Amanda said.  
  
"I meant, do we have to go and see Susan."  
  
"Yes." Mark said very firmly. "How about, though, we go on ahead and you follow on slowly behind in Annabel with Maria. I don't think she's in any sort of state to be driving back herself. That O.K. with you?" Mark asked Jesse.  
  
"Yes, sir." Jesse said.  
  
"Maria?"  
  
"Sure. Just as long as Jesse promises not to break anything."  
  
"Scouts honor, I'll do my very best."  
  
"Well, O.K. then." And everyone went their separate ways. 


	17. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
"And you guys do that a lot?" Maria asked in awe as she flagged out on the bed in the on-call room of Hope Hospital. The room where the plan was born. They were each sitting around the room as they had been before, while C.J. and Dion habited their place on the floor.  
  
As soon as she had heard that the coast was clear, Susan had very quickly said her goodbyes and beat a hasty retreat, much to Jesse's relief.  
  
"A fair bit, I should say." Steve grinned. "I never get to do my job by myself. On the up side, I still get paid though they do all the work."  
  
"Sounds like a dream job." Maria smiled. "When are you guys heading off home?"  
  
"As soon as possible, I think. I don't fancy staying around here any longer." Mark said.  
  
"That's a shame. It could have been fun."  
  
"Hey, if you're ever in our area, look us up." Jesse said.  
  
"Yes." Mark agreed, "And if you ever fancy moving and starting a career in L.A. I may be able to sort something out for you. I'm not without weight at a hospital there!" Maria smiled.  
  
"Thank you. That's a very generous offer."  
  
"And a very genuine one. You helped us out a lot. It's us who should be thanking you. As far as you were aware we could have been a bunch of pranksters and you could have thrown us out on our ear, but you didn't."  
  
"And then you helped catch the bad guys." Jesse added. "You should come work with us for real."  
  
"I don't know if I could cope with all that excitement."  
  
"Nor did I." said Amanda, "but you soon get used to it. You even miss it in quiet periods."  
  
"Can I see you back to the railway station, then?" The look of horror on Jesse's face was indescribable. He nearly spat his coffee out.  
  
"No way. Mark, we are not going back by train. I will walk back to L.A., on foot, before I will go back on the train."  
  
"Walking does usually involve using your feet Jess." Said Steve. "And I hate to have to tell you this, but we've already booked your train ticket!"  
  
"NO. No way. No, no, no, no, NO!!!"  
  
"Jesse, keep your pants on. It's only a train."  
  
"If I ever get on another train again, ever, it will be too soon. I am not getting on a train. No way, no how. NO TRAINS."  
  
"Woah, Jess, hold that temper there." Said Steve, a sly grin on his face.  
  
"What's up with you? You look like someone wedged a coat-hanger in your mouth."  
  
"Don't sweat it, Jesse. We're going back by airplane. Dad called and made the reservations while we drove back here."  
  
"So you were just having a little fun at my expense?" Steve nodded. "Well, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Very amusing, I can hardly contain myself."  
  
"You seem a little bitter there, my friend." Mark said.  
  
"Don't you start. This is a conspiracy. I risk my life with some mad lunatics on my tail in a car that is PINK and I'm under pain of death to drive safely in a very tense situation and all you guys can do is have fun with me. Well, you can all bite me!"  
  
"Isn't he sweet when he sulks?" said Amanda, pulling on Jesse's cheek. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Can I come see you off from the airport, then?" asked Maria.  
  
"Sure. It would be an honor." Jesse gushed before anyone else had the chance to answer. The three older doctors exchanged looks with one another. Jesse really was the King of smitten!  
  
* * *  
  
"Well, they're calling our flight." Said Mark. "We should be going."  
  
"It was good to meet you all." Said Maria.  
  
"And you, too." Said Amanda.  
  
"You know," Mark added. "I meant what I said earlier. Any time you're looking for a job, look me up. Call the hospital and ask to speak to me of call me on my cell, I gave you the card, right?" Maria nodded her confirmation, "Either that or you could contact me through Jesse." Maria and Jesse exchanged looks and both of them grinned.  
  
"You take care now." Steve said. Come down to see us in L.A. soon."  
  
"I will." Maria nodded.  
  
"We'll go do a thing. Jesse, meet us in a minute."  
  
"Thanks, guys." Jesse smiled. He now looked a little nervous. "I don't know if you noticed, Maria, but I kind of like you and I would like for us to keep in touch."  
  
"I kind of assumed we would, Jesse." The stood and looked at each other for a minute.  
  
"Um. I'm sorry. I have to go. They just gave out the final call for my flight."  
  
"O.K." She nodded and smiled. Jesse turned to go. "Jesse, come back a minute." Jesse turned back slowly and stepped toward Maria. She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You take care. O.K.?"  
  
"Yeah. And you." Jesse blushed. They locked into one another and embraced. "Just don't leave it too long." He said softly into her ear.  
  
"I won't. I wouldn't dare." She whispered back.  
  
They drew apart and Jesse went off to catch up with the others. He turned round and looked back every so often until Maria was hidden by all the other people milling about. He was smiling and sensed that she was too.  
  
This adventure had closed one chapter.  
  
And it had started a new one!  
  
THE END (AT LONG LAST) 


End file.
